Saying Goodbye
by Ray-Tiger-Cat
Summary: [Spin off to Just When You Think It's Over, It Starts All Over No need to read that first] [Warning: character death] What if during a battle with Biovolt, a member of the G Revolutions dies? How will the team react? Will they be able to move on?
1. Shattered

RTC: Hey, I'm back with the new fic!

Kai: Oh great, all hail the mighty RTC and her evilness. Don't you have anything better to do than torture me?

Ray: Um, think about that one, Kai.

Tyson: Yeah, she lacks a life, remember?

RTC: Oh, shut up! Can't you guys be positive for once?

All Muses: No, we can't! Someone's got to keep your ego in check!

RTC: I don't know why I put up with them. Anyway, for any readers out there that haven't read Just When You Think It's Over, It Starts All Over, I've written a short summary on the points you'll need to know to understand this fic. (This fic is a 'what if things didn't turn out so nicely?' to that one.) (Even if you read the other fic, you might want to read the summary because it's been a year since it was posted! Yay, one year anniversary of becoming an author!) If I missed anything, I'll just add to it in my author's notes. And there are brief descriptions of my OCs on my profile, if anyone is interested. (Please give the OCs a chance! Don't automatically start hating them!) A big thank you to Iluvbeyblade for helping me write the summary, enjoy!

Summary: While the team was deciding whether to spilt up or stay together for the next world championships, Kai take off on a walk, promising to meet back up with the others soon. When he fails to show, the team goes looking for him, and find him unconscious in a park. Kai is transported to a hospital, in desperate need of a blood transplant. As a relative is needed to make the closest match, the Bladebreakers don't hold out much hope, until they find someone they had never heard of before. With the help of his twin, Kari, Kai recovers, and, feeling unsafe, the Bladebreakers and Kari leave town, and head to Ray's hometown. There, the team gets attacked once more and they find out that Ray might not be telling them something. The next place the team heads is Russia, with a group of thugs on their tail. They don't move fast enough - Kai is kidnapped. Two days later, Kai returns, but he is being controlled by Boris through a specially-designed suit and is using Black Dranzer to try and take his friends down. Fortunately for him, his friends and sister mange to come to his rescue and get him out safely. However he has more injuries, for which they transport him to New York to treat. The team somehow manages to get kidnapped again while in New York, and have to be rescued by Hiro, causing Tyson's emotions to go haywire at the reappearance of his brother, who he hasn't forgiven yet, Max suffered a concussion, and Tyson is not about to forgive his brother anytime soon for joining BEGA. Also, Ray's cousin brings the news that his mother wants to see him and Ray leaves. Tala, Kai and Kari head to her home to pack her things and send them to Japan. Soon after, Kai and Kari get home, and the team is faced with another loss - it seems Ray's plane crashed in the ocean. On top of this, Ray's family never made it to the airport, and soon his sisters turn up, needing help. The Bladebreakers take them in as they head back to Japan, only to discover a surprising, and worrying, medical fact about Ray. Trying to lure their mystery attackers out into the open, the team take part in a tournament, but the plan backfires when a group of gunmen go loose in the stadium. Ray isn't the only one hiding something in his family, Lizzie was keeping her share of secrets, and these ones more dangerous than the one Ray kept. That secret is revealed abruptly when she collapses, so ill that only a transplant could keep her alive

while Lizzie was in the hospital, Tala, Kari and Kai all get taken during the night by Biovolt. The team, minus Lizzie, all decide to go to Russia, where Tala believed the new Biovolt abbey was and bust their friends out. Assisted by some old friends, the Bladebreakers go to Russia and Biovolt in an attempt to rescue Kai, Kari and Tala. While there, they meet up with the very last person they would ever have suspected-Ray's mom! Ray and friends bust Diana out of her restraints, and rush to save Kai. Kai is in serious trouble - they couldn't get there in time to stop Voltaire. Voltaire's attacks put Kai in the hospital in a coma and that's where this story starts.

RTC: Okay, disclaimer please!

Kenny: Ray-Tiger-Cat does not own Beyblade, because if she did, there would be new episodes everyday.

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Shattered

It was a cold blustery night in Russia, just past midnight, but in one hospital room, nothing was quiet or still.

"We have to get him back! Come on now, kid, wake up!" a doctor was screaming. Add this to the noise to the defibrillator, the scurrying people in the room, also attempting to resuscitate the young boy, and the screaming and crying from his sister, and you'd understand why this room was so loud.

"Kai, come on! Please wake up! You promised you'd always be here for me!" Kari screamed through her tears. But it looked like her words, along with the doctors' and nurses' were lost on Kai. He was still unconscious and not responding to the increasing shocks that were given to restart his heart. "Come on, Kai! I know you're stronger than this! Fight it! Please..."

"Put it up a notch! Okay, clear!"

"Come on, why isn't he responding?! That's the highest setting!" The medical team's constant talk did nothing to calm Kari down, on the contrary, she got more upset. Kai's body was violently shaking as the electricity hit him, and it looked pretty grim. She had always known there was a good chance of him dying, but she had never thought it would happen and even if it did, not like this! However Kari's hysterics did not go unnoticed by the medical team and against her will, she was escorted from the room.

"I'm sorry, miss," the doctor said as he came out of the room a short while later. "His heart would not start. We'd tried everything and the recitation efforts went on for half an hour."

At this point, Kari covered her ears and sank to the floor. "I don't want to hear it! You're lying to me! My brother was stronger than that!" But deep down inside, she knew that the doctor had spoken the truth. Kai wasn't coming back, he was never going to talk to her, or beyblade, or even walk off in the middle of a conversation again. He was gone. Dead. And nothing anyone did or said could ever bring him back.

"Are you going to be alright?" a second doctor said, kneeling next to Kari. "Is there anyone you want to call?"

"N-no, our-my friends will be here soon. Th-they shouldn't be woken up to be told that he d-died," Kari managed in between hiccups and tears.

"You shouldn't be alone, you know," the doctor told her kindly.

"No, it's okay. You know, it's his-our-my birthday today," she said, correcting herself as she realized that she would never share the occasion or any other with Kai, "But I've never been in a less celebratory mood." Her tears were subsiding, exhaustion taking grief's place.

"Alright, that's understandable. Now how about we get you someplace more comfortable while we wait for your friends to arrive?" Reluctantly, Kari allowed herself to be led away to a quiet room, where she fell into a deep sleep, not to wake for several hours.

"Kari, what happened?" a stricken Tala asked as he entered the room, "We went to Kai's room, but the nurses wouldn't let us in; they told us to come here instead."

"Have you been crying?" Tyson asked, incredulously. Kari had not shed a tear in weeks, not since that first time she had seen Kai in the coma.

"Guys, you'd better sit down," she advised, her voice croaky and her eyes red from the crying.

"Oh, no, you can't mean, but that's, Kai didn't..." The team wasn't taking things too lightly.

"Yeah, Kai died of a heart failure last night." Kari got to watch as the G Revolutions and Tala broke down on the spot.

Tyson started punching the wall, Hilary started crying, Max dropped to his knees and buried his head in his arms, probably crying too, Kenny turned on Dizzi and started mumbling things such as, this is a nightmare, I'll wake up soon (Kari hoped Dizzi would knock some sense into him.) Daichi ran to the bathroom and they could hear him vomiting, Tala sat on a chair with a heavy thump and Ray looked stoic. Kari got up and sat down next to Tala. He had always been a source of comfort, but today he looked pretty vulnerable. It was to be expected, after all, he had known Kai longest, except for Kari.

"Tala, what are we going to do?" she whispered, before breaking down in tears again.

"I don't know, Kari," he said as he wrapped his arms around her, "I honestly don't know." And there the team sat, all absorbed in their grief, for many hours to come.

"I heard what happened," Diana's voice said, waking everyone from their trances. "And I came as soon as I could. I know what you're all going through."

"And how would you know that, mom? You barely knew Kai!" Ray shouted.

"Calm down and I'll explain."

"Everything?"

"Everything is a long and complicated story, Raymond. I once left the village too. I'd loved to beyblade and the elders had not allowed a girl on the team, but at any rate, I ened up in Japan, where I met Kai's father, Alex, who was there on an exchange trip. He had been put into the abbey and eventually, he escaped and with the help of some friends and me, we managed to take down Alex's father. But happily ever after did not happen, because he got lose several years later and killed Alex and his wife. I've lost a friend at Voltaire's hands too," she sighed. "And now another fatality has come about."

Several hours later, the team was back at Kari's house (It was all hers now that her family was dead.) and they were all trying to put their grief aside long enough to plan the funeral and pack up the things that were in the house, so that they'd be ready to leave afterwards.

"So, what's going to happen to everyone?" Tala asked, trying his best to keep his mind off Kai's death.

"I don't really know, but it looks like everyone is going to head back to their homes," Tyson replied, looking very depressed. "Some of them said they couldn't handle being back in Japan. They said they'd come to Japan long enough to pack up their things and in Ray's family's case, get Lizzie out of the hospital and pick up his other sister, Lynn."

"Tyson, we didn't say we'd never come back, you know!" Max yelled from upstairs.

"Alright, enough yelling. We'll work this out after the funeral," Diana said, taking on her role as the only adult present.

"A funeral... Kai's funeral... SOMEONE TELL ME I'M DREAMING!" Kari shouted and broke down. It didn't look like they were going to get over this for a long time to come.

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RTC: Aren't I evil?

Kai: Yes! Why must you do this to me?

RTC: Hey, on the bright side, at least you won't be tortured in this fic.

Max: That's because you killed him, not really a better option!

Ray: Why was it you felt this urge to kill Kai anyway?

RTC: Just wanted to write a depressing story, after all, in my first one, it was too happily-ever-after-ish. Anyhow, please review and don't kill me! I know that the vast majority of you are Kai fans. (Cowers in fear.) Okay, well just remember that I warned you about this being character death!


	2. Burial

RTC: Hi everyone! Well, I got more reviews then I expected the last chapter, thank you! If there are any new readers, which I doubt, I hope you're understanding everything so far!

Ray: Hey, can you help hold Kai down?

Kai: I don't know why I'm here! I'm not even in the fic!

RTC: Your dead body is and therefore you're staying!

Max: (Sweat drops.) Well, you should be warned that this chapter is a bit emotional, sometimes the POV will change without warning and there is a bit of 'colourful' language.

RTC: Disclaimer please!

Kari: Ray-Tiger-Cat does not own Beyblade, she just owns me, the other OCs and the plot.

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Burial

The G-Revs stood and stared at the body of their friend, team captain and brother, with faces full of sorrow. Today was the day of his viewing and he'd be buried the following day and many of them were still trying to get their heads around the whole thing. Mr. D. had gotten Lizzie and Lynn and all three of them had flown out to Russia.

"He looks so peaceful," Lizzie whispered, grief evident in her voice.

"I know, it's so hard to know that he's gone!" Kari had replied. They had chosen to bury Kai not in a suit and tie, but a pair of cargo pants and a baggy sweatshirt because as Tyson put it, 'it's a-not-so-average outfit for a not-so-average-friend'.

"Can you believe it's been almost four years since we met him, guys?" Max asked.

"No, it doesn't feel like it's been so long. Man, I still remember the first time we met him-he was such a jerk back then! Who knew he could turn into such a good friend?" Tyson replied, having been first to meet Kai, and except for Tala and Kari, having known Kai longest.

"Yeah, I sensed that hostility from the minute I saw you guys," Ray remised.

"I thought he was so rude too, at first," Hilary said, weeping at her first impression of him, "Who knows how nice we'd have turned him, if it weren't for this?" The team tried to laugh but the fact remained that Kai was gone. And not coming back.

"So, Tala, when is your team getting here?" Daichi said, trying to change the topic. Even thought he hadn't been anywhere as close to Kai as the others, he was devastated by his death.

"I don't know, they said they'd get here as soon as they could, so they may show up at any minute... I think the other teams are coming tomorrow, for the funeral," Tala replied, choking on the last word. The normally stoic teen had been depressed and quite a bit more emotional than usual lately, but that was to be expected.

"That's good," Lizzie mumbled, and then started up the water works again and had to escorted out of the room by her brother. Ray, surprisingly, had become almost as distant as Kai had been when they'd first met him, practically overnight. He was flat out not dealing with his emotions, and that couldn't be good.

The rest of the team looked at Kai's pale face after the viewing. It had been a hard few hours, dealing with fans, the press, and a whole bunch of random people who thought it would be nice to barge in on their grief. Fortunately, the B-Boys showed up and kicked anyone that wasn't supposed to there out.

"Well, shall we put them in then?" Kari asked, taking the lead and the others nodded in agreement. Slowly the group approached the coffin, and placed the trinkets they wanted Kai to keep in the coffin with him and mumbled their good byes. Kari and Lizzie gave Kai a quick peck on the cheeks before the coffin was shut and taken away.

The following morning dawned sunny and warm, for Russia, anyway. The team picked their weary bodies up and proceeded to get themselves ready for the funeral in complete silence. It seemed everyone was too absorbed in their thoughts to reach out to the others. Slowly, they emerged from different rooms, clad in somber clothing. Most of the guys were wearing black suits, though Tyson and Kenny were in white (AN: I read somewhere that in Japan, white is the colour for mourning.), the girls were in all in skirts or dress pants, and all of them wore an expression that could only be described as pure agony. There was also a spark of determination, possibly to keep silent, possibly to get through the funeral without breaking down. The honk of a car snapped them out of their trances; it was the car Mr. Dickenson had arranged to take them to and from the gravesite. Slowly, the team made its way out to the car and climbed in.

When the G Revolutions got there, they realized, much to their dismay, the press was still following them around.

"Can't you see we're trying to get some privacy here?! Can't you people just fuck off?" Tyson screamed, the silence finally broken. Some members of the team shook their heads, that was Tyson for you, and others just snapped their heads up, as if they hadn't realized where they were and Tala sent death glares to the press, as if daring them to do something. The scream had caught the attention of some of the other teams that were already there, and together, they all managed to calm Tyson down and drag him off.

"Come on, everyone is here, so we can start now," Hilary whispered to Kari, both looking scared at the prospect of going through with the 'event'. Kari, like Ray had become more of a loner the past few days, Tyson was, obviously, angry, Tala was shocked, Lizzie depressed, and the rest of the team had been numb.

The next thing Tala remembered was standing at the side of a really big hole, one where one of his best friends was going to lie in for an eternity. He sighed, life was not fair, Tala knew that, but he had never expected life to be this unfair. The others hadn't really been handling things too well, either, especially not Kari. She had grown up having at least another person in her family and now she was alone. He wanted to comfort her, but he knew now was not the time to confront her, she would blow her top if he said the wrong thing. Tala shook his head and thought, 'man, girls are so damn confusing'.

Kari wept, not realizing Tala was watching her. She too had been doing some heavy thinking and her decision surprised even her. I'm not going to go back to Japan, and I refuse to let another tear fall. I need to travel a bit until I feel like the other half of me is no longer missing.

Meanwhile, Max was also not doing so well. How on earth can he have died?! It isn't possible! Max, being the youngest on the team, had always looked up to Kai, really respected him and now he was not there anymore.

How dare he go off and die?! Tyson was fuming, the fact that he had shouted at the press was just a release mechanism, he was secretly angry with is former team captain, but unlike the thousands of times Kai had made him mad, this time he couldn't yell and scream at him and this time there would be no happiness when he came around.

Life sucks, was the only thing going through Ray's head. He hadn't been angry or depressed or anything else, for that matter. He felt only a sense of helplessness. How many times did he let the people he cared about down? (AN: Not yaoi! He meant as a friend!) Well, this would be the last time, Ray promised himself.

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RTC: Well what do you think? Nice, overly dramatic? I don't know what to think, this chapter pretty much wrote itself! Anyway, please review, even if you don't sign in I will reply!

Kai: (Tied down.) In other words, she has nothing better to do.

RTC: Oh be quiet! Why is it my muses are so mean?

Kai: Maybe because you keep torturing us?

RTC: Just review, please, I'll deal with my muses later! Bye!


	3. Split

RTC: Well, this fic seems to want to write itself! Considering my muses are most annoyed with me for posting this, they've been doing a good job keeping me inspired. Hmm, does this mean the idea is starting to grow on you?

Max: Nope, we just want you to finish writing this fic.

RTC: But I'm only on chapter 3.

Ray: Yeah, three down and how many more to go?

RTC: Okay, I think we're boring the readers, so on with the disclaimer! Kari, Hilary, want to do it this time?

Hilary: If you promise not to torture me.

RTC: Fine.

Hilary: Ray-Tiger-Cat does not own Beyblade.

Kari: She also does not own Boulevard of broken dreams, it belongs to Green Day. (Yes, she did a song fic chapter! Enjoy!)

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Split

"Fasten your seatbelts, we are about to take off..."

Tala stared at the flight attendant as if she were speaking another language. It seemed the G Revolutions were separating for good and he couldn't see a happy reunion any time soon. If they were to gather, it would only remind them of the hole that remained where Kai used to be. Kai... where are you now? What do you think of us for being so weak?

"Sir, please fasten your seatbelt," the flight attendant repeated, sounding slightly annoyed. Tala did as he was told and then realized that the only person that had used that commanding tone of voice with him was Kai. He shook his head, focus on the present, Kai was from the past now, he told himself. Back to Kai's team mates... well, they were going to be losing each other too, right now, but I'll be okay. I've always been alone.

_**I walk a lonely road **_

_**The only one that I have ever known **_

_**Don't know were it goes **_

_**But it's home to me and I walk alone **_

_**I walk this empty street **_

_**On the Boulevard of broken dreams **_

_**Were the city sleeps **_

_**And I'm the only one and I walk alone **_

_**I walk alone I walk alone **_

_**I walk alone and I walk a- **_

Well, at least I got a change of scenery, Kari thought as she walked out of an airport in San Francisco. Yeah, and what a wonderful one it is too, a dark parking lot, yay, her reasoning told her, and now it's two am, you're in a strange city, you don't know anyone, you have no place to stay and you still haven't gotten any sleep. Kari, in her rush to leave, had not really planned out her trip too well and now she just felt like crying. Remember the promise, no more crying. At Kai's funeral, Kari had promised herself that she would be strong and not shed any more tears and had been doing a good job of keeping them bottled away.

"Are you okay? You look like you're lost, dear," a woman said, approaching Kari. Kari's eyes quickly fixed on what she was holding: her children, a set of twins. Come on, girl, get it together before she starts thinking you're insane.

She swallowed the lump in her throat and said," Um, yeah, do you know of a hotel nearby? It's my first time here, and I guess I didn't plan too well." Kari made a feeble attempt at a smile.

"Oh, that explained why you looked so confused!" the woman smiled too and gave Kari directions to a nice hotel nearby. Thankfully for Kari, the woman didn't ask her why she was traveling alone and so unprepared, because that might have made her lose it. Well, just me, Drazelia, Dranzer (the team had decided she should keep the bit beast), now, Kari thought. And the shadows of my past, the voice of reason added.

_**My shadows the only one that walks beside me **_

_**My shallow hearts the only thing that's beating **_

_**Sometimes I wish someone out there will find me **_

_**'Till then I'll walk alone **_

Ray watched his baby sister run through their living room. She seemed to be the only one unaffected by Kai death. You're one to talk, you keep acting as though nothing's happened, his logic told him. I'm fine, Ray responded to that little voice. You're arguing with yourself. Logic always seemed to have the upper hand. Ray wanted to shout 'but Kai's death had been anything but logical!', but he kept quiet. That last thing everyone needed was to have to deal with him when he was upset.

"The world keeps turning, Ray," his mom had told him several hours ago, on the flight home, and it was still the centre of his thoughts right now. We all have to move on. So no more emotions and tears or anything else Ray told himself. I'm fine.

_**Ah..ah.. **_

_**I'm walking down the line **_

Where exactly is that line between sanity and insanity? Because I think I've finally crossed over to the insane side, Lizzie thought. I've seen some of my friends die and I had known them for longer than I knew Kai, so why is his death affecting me this way? Lizzie grabbed a pillow and hugged it tight. He was always a good person to talk to, whether he knew it or not. How the heck did he manage to get so close?! It's not like either of us goes around looking for friends! I don't think he even realized we were becoming friends. But then, neither did I until after he died. A fleeting image of Kai resurfaced in Lizzie's head. We could read each other like a book sometimes... Man, I miss him so much...

_**That divides me somewhere in my mind **_

_**On the border line of the edge **_

_**And where I walk alone **_

_**Read between the lines **_

_**What's fucked up and everything's alright **_

_**Check my vital signs to know I'm still alive **_

_**And I walk alone **_

_**I walk alone I walk alone **_

_**I walk alone and I walk a- **_

"Little Dude, if you break one more thing or smash anything else in this house, you're grounded!" Tyson's grandpa could be heard screaming for miles away. "I know you're upset about your home boy, but demolishing my tea set isn't gonna bring him back, ya get what I'm laying down?!"

"Yes, Grandpa," Tyson replied, already rushing out the door.

"What is my little homie up to?" Grandpa Granger wondered.

Well, Tyson had rushed to the bridge in the park, the one where he had first met Kai.

"3, 2, 1, let it rip!" he screamed, as he launched his blade as hard as possible. I'd like to see you beat me, Kai! I'm the World Champion for a reason, you know! And what are you, a deranged lunatic who breaks up teams and friendships! "I'll always be better than you Kai!" Tyson shouted at the sky, as if expecting Kai's voice to answer him with his usual sarcasm.

But of course, there was no response. Tyson's mind flashed back to all the times he and Kai had fought, both in and out of the bey-stadium. "Why didn't you fight it, Kai? You were always such a fighter, what happened?" Kai will never get better, he'll never beat me, Tyson thought sadly, because he's dead. All that's left are memories.

_**My shadows the only one that walks beside me **_

_**My shallow hearts the only thing that's beating **_

_**Sometimes I wish someone out there will find me **_

_**'Till then I'll walk alone **_

Shadow. That's what this team has become, a mere shadow of who they were. And I don't like it one bit! Hilary was pacing up and down in her room, pent up frustrations being taken out on random pillows and stuffed animals that were unfortunate enough to get in her way. How dare they all fall apart?! She had realized trying to talk to any of the guys would be impossible; they were as thick sulked as always and had issues with talking about their feelings. And Kari had taken off to goodness-knows-where; she hadn't even come back to Japan to collect her and Kai's things. Instead, she'd asked them to please pack them up and that she'd get in contact with them soon. Hilary was grateful that Mr. D. was at least setting up a messaging service for anyone that had taken part in a BBA tournament and she hoped that would be enough to pull the team back together, even if it was just a correspondence. They shouldn't be alone.

They had left her very alone too. When they decided they wanted to be alone, she'd had no say in it and she wanted to be with her friends! How come they can't ever stay together?! If they're not splitting up for one reason, it's for another! Argh! How's a girl supposed to get any support around here? Just come back, please come back, Kai. You've always been able to get them in order, even when it was your fault they were splitting. If your spirit or what ever is watching us, please bring everyone back, Hilary thought, please Kai.

_**Ah..ah.. **_

_**I walk alone and I walk a- **_

Well, we got off of school for the past little while, and I think it'll be difficult to return to class after months of correspondence school. I know Tyson and Hilary won't be back for another week, they were too distraught to be in class for the moment. Kenny started checking that he had everything for the umpteenth time that day.

"Chief, if I had hands, I'd have snatched that book bag away from you by now!" Dizzi said, sighing in exasperation. "It's getting late; why don't you go to sleep now?"

"I can't sleep, I'm scared," Kenny mumbled.

"Relax, would you, the kids there know you. and you know them. What's there to be afraid of?"

"That's the problem, they know that I know I mean knew Kai and it's been all over the news that he died."

"Oh." His comment had finally shut the wise cracking bitbeast up. "Can't help you there..."

"No one can help us now," Kenny muttered. All the optimism he had-which wasn't much-was as dead as Kai.

_**I walk this empty street **_

_**On the Boulevard of broken dreams **_

_**Were the city sleeps **_

_**And I'm the only one and I walk a- **_

"So, Max, happy to be home?" Judy asked as they walked into their apartment.

"I guess," Max replied and shrugged his shoulders. It felt surreal to be back in New York City. It was so much louder, brighter and more distracting than Japan. And Max needed a distraction. It was hard to face the fact that a friend, especially one as tough as Kai was gone. If it could happen to Kai, why couldn't it happen to his other friends? They could all die. Stop it, you're being paranoid, part him said, but the rest of him was not listening. Come on now, Max, you're supposed to be the cheerful one... Keep grinning and hope the world doesn't recognize your pain. "Excuse me, Mom, I think I need to get reacquainted with my old room." They both knew that was not the reason, but they went along with the lies anyway.

Max flung himself on his bed and cried. He cried for himself, his team, Kai, of course and the mess that their lives had turned into. Someday things will be okay. It would all be okay.

_**My shadows the only one that walks beside me **_

_**My shallow hearts the only thing that's beating **_

_**Sometimes I wish someone out there will find me **_

_**'Till then I'll walk alone **_

Well, this certainly isn't a whole lot of fun, Daichi thought. He had left Tokyo because even though he was not at all close to Kai, he could not deal with the memories there and the empty shells that had once been his active, happy, easy going team mates. Currently, Daichi had returned to his hometown and was trying to explain the whole story to his parents; Voltaire, BEGA, not being able to beat Tyson, his other team mates and Kai's death. It seemed a bad way to end the story, I mean, there's no happily ever after, is there? No, happily ever after belonged in fairytales, they don't exist in real life.

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RTC: That was my first attempt at a song fic, I hope you guys liked it and if it sucked, can we please tell me that in a nice way? I hope the song choice was good, too. Now I just need to get it out of my head!

Ray: The horror! We're in her head too and now we're stuck with the song!

Kai: Get it out, get it out!

Max: Save us!

Tyson: NOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!

RTC: Oh quit your whining, I'll find a way to get rid of it, probably with a different song that will get stuck there. (Muses run away, scared senseless.) Anyhow, if any of you have a way to get rid of the song in my head, please tell me. (Hopefully a better way than mine!) And please review, they really make my day! See ya!


	4. EFriends

RTC: Hi readers!

Tyson: She's cheerful…too cheerful!

RTC: It's the writer's block! (Bawls.)

Ray: Get a grip, would you? You finished this chapter, didn't you? Come on start rambling…

RTC: Okay. Well, the chapter is not up to my usual standards, so be warned! I'd thought up a bunch of questions to ask you guys and I hope you can help me out. Please? (Puppy-eyes.) How old is Hiro? Even a guess would be helpful right now! And I've had two comments that I feel compelled to point out, for some reason. My friend Iluvbeyblade, noticed that there is considerably more emotion in this fic compared to Just… and another friend, Moonlight Serenity noticed that the POV switches are a bit different. Well, they tie in together as I'm writing this fic mostly from an omniscient point of view meaning that we can see into all characters minds. Also, Inner Dragon along with Moonlight Serenity also picked up on something I've been hinting at for a long while now, congratulations! (But please don't post that in your reviews because I want people to guess!) Take a closer look at Tala and you might see it too! And now, a review reply for an anonymous reviewer:

Sasha: Firstly, thank you very much for reviewing! Hmm, I not quite sure if you're angry with me, or if you're going to keep reading, but I'm going to take it as the latter option. I'm sorry for killing off Kai, I really am and I'm sorry I upset you before your MEA's. (I take it that those are some type of test?) Hope you keep reading and reviewing!

Kai: Okay, he said ramble, not go on for the next month!

Max: Why don't you explain the way this chapter works?

RTC: (Looks angry at Kai.) Sure Max! Well, this chapter is basically an email correspondence between the characters, as they are no longer living nearby. The stuff in italics underneath is the sender's thoughts on the email and life. You'll get to see how they portray themselves, but how badly they're doing on the inside at once. So, the emails are as follows: the-icy-one (Kari), dragoon-rox-my-sox (Tyson), crouchingtiger (Ray), blondes-have-more-fun (Max), emcsquared (Kenny), shopaholics-anonymous (Hilary), howl-to-the-moon (Tala) and monkeyboy (Daichi). As you can see, they reflect the person's personalities and that should be able to keep you straight. Well, that's it, disclaimer please!

Hilary: Ray-Tiger-Cat does not own Beyblade, as she has had us tell you loads of times already.

-----

E-Friends

To: the-icy-one

From: dragoon-rox-my-sox

Subject: How are you?

Message:

Hey Kari, how's it going? I hope you landed safely. I also hope you have access to the internet... I'd feel pretty stupid if you didn't read this for months! Anyhow, Hilary, Kenny and I packed up all of your and Kai's things and we moved all the stuff to my place for now. As soon as you get a permanent place to live, send us the address and we'll mail it right away. Anyhow, I hope you're doing okay. Write back soon!

_It's really weird having to write an email to talk to my friends. What were they thinking when they decided to leave?! The team is falling apart and it's all Kai's fault! Why is it we're always picking up his messes?!_

To: blondes-have-more-fun

From: crouchingtiger

Subject: Being home again

Message:

Sorry for not writing sooner Max, but the computer has been a problem... I'll get straight to the point of this email, okay? Does it feel really strange to be back home again? I mean, we're back in our hometowns, but I feel like I should be back in Japan. I don't understand it all, because when we split up after the first World Championships, it was so nice to be home, but now it's like there's something missing. Okay, I'm rambling on, and you probably think I'm crazy. See ya!

_Well,_ _everyone thinks I'm crazy already so I suppose it doesn't matter. I just really couldn't care about anything right now! I can barely blade; I know we aren't going to be in another tournament, so what does it matter?!_

To: crouchingtiger

From: blondes-have-more-fun

Subject: Re: Being home again

Message:

Yeah, it is strange. I guess it's because when we separated the last time, we had only been a team for a few months and as close as we were, we bonded a lot more over the past few years. I feel pretty bad about leaving Tyson, Kenny and Hilary there and I know Tyson's pretty angry with everyone these days-not that he'd admit it-but I think we're all trying to cover up and move on. I mean, take a look at our screen names; they're all happy sounding, not something that a grieving team would normally chose. We're all lying to ourselves. P.S.: No, I don't think you're crazy.

_If anyone is crazy around here, it's me. Mom says that I've become paranoid, and that perhaps I should see a shrink-I won't go-to deal with my fears of losing everyone. I think that my new view on life has just allowed me to see through the deceptions! I'm tired of being innocent and child-like! Time to grow up and deal with the messed up world!_

To: the-icy-one

From: shopaholics-anonymous

Subject: Find a place yet?

Message:

So, Kari, I know Tyson emailed you a week ago, but seeing as there's been no reply, I thought perhaps you hadn't received it, and so I'm writing. We have packed everything up, as I'm sure you've figured out and we need an address to send it to. (And what a fun time it was too-Tyson is angry at the world, and Kenny only talks to himself or Dizzi most of the time!) I just need to ask if you're going to be okay. I mean, you've traveled half way across the world and I'm worried that if something happens to you, we won't know about it. I mean, they have shoved Voltaire in prison, but I'm sure there are plenty of his thugs still on the loose and it could be a while before someone catches them. Okay, I'm being paranoid, but do take care of yourself!

_Can you blame me for being upset with Tyson and Kenny? The whole time we were packing up, they more or less ignored me and each other! And now Kari is doing the same thing! She's so wrapped up in her grief that she doesn't want to deal with other people, but I'm still here! I feel like I've been left behind..._

To: crouchingtiger, blondes-have-more-fun, emcsquared, shopaholics-anonymous, dragoon-rox-my-sox, howl-to-the-moon, monkeyboy

From: the-icy-one

Subject: Sorry for not replying

Message:

Hi everyone. Well, I'm glad Mr. Dickenson set up the BBA network so we could all stay in touch. Actually, I don't have much to say; I'm just writing because I've got at least five emails wondering if I had landed safely and whether I was okay. Yeah, I'm fine and yes I've got an apartment, so you can send the packages, Tyson and Hilary! Don't worry about me too much, things are quite fine here. And Hilary, it's true there are a bunch of thugs still on the loose, but I think I can handle them. You guys should watch your backs too.

_It's so hard to try and talk to them. Every time I think about the team, a memory of Kai_ _floats through my head! I miss him like crazy. He was my other half... and now that that half is gone, I can barely socialize. Now isn't that a laugh; he was the most anti-social person I knew. Life is ironic._

To: crouchingtiger, blondes-have-more-fun, emcsquared, shopaholics-anonymous, dragoon-rox-my-sox, howl-to-the-moon, the-icy-one

From: monkeyboy

Subject: Whoa, I missed out on a lot!

Message:

Finally figured out how to work this blasted computer! How the heck do you people use these things on a regular basis anyway?! I've just read my mail and I guess I missed a lot of stuff. Just remember to keep me posted! And in case you were wondering, Tyson picked the screen name for me, okay?! Gah, I'm going to go practice now; I still have to beat Tyson! How is everyone's training going? Bye!

_How come I'm left out of the loop a lot lately?! I know I'm the youngest and the one that knew Kai the shortest, but don't they realize that I miss him too? What do I have to do to put things back the way they were?_

To: dragoon-rox-my-sox

From: howl-to-the-moon

Subject: Your team

Message:

Well, I seem to be getting a lot of mail recently. I was just writing to see how your team was fairing. It's not everyday you lose a captain... Did you guys pick a new one? Anyhow, have you heard much from Kari? Every time I write, I get a vague, non-emotional, detached response. Just wondering if you got anything better.

_I thought I was only supposed to lose one person in my life when Kai died, but now it seems like I've lost Kari too. She's distancing herself. I know that that is a normal reaction to lose (the orphans at the Abbey did that a lot), but that was at a time when friendship was not allowed. It looks like Boris did drill one thing into her head after all._

To: howl-to-the-moon

From: dragoon-rox-my-sox

Subject: Re: Your team

Message: No, we have not picked a new team captain, but then, I doubt we're going to be playing as a team anywhere in the near future. Guess it's time for someone else to take the spotlight and become World Champ. Actually, you're pretty lucky to even get a response; I barely ever hear from her. In her last email, all she wrote was that she had received the packages, and that she would be traveling around a lot. I thought she was going to stay in San Francisco, but apparently not. I can't figure her out.

_How the heck was I supposed to know?! He's the one that's close to her! The rest of us wouldn't know something before he did!_

To: crouchingtiger, blondes-have-more-fun, monkeyboy, shopaholics-anonymous, dragoon-rox-my-sox, howl-to-the-moon, the-icy-one

From: emcsquared

Subject: Two months

Message:

I hate to remind everyone, but it's been two months since... well, you know. And we are all still lost in our own little worlds. I may have been the quiet one, but I think it's time I stick my neck out and tell you all that we can not function this way. So, stop hiding!

To: crouchingtiger, blondes-have-more-fun, monkeyboy, shopaholics-anonymous, dragoon-rox-my-sox, howl-to-the-moon, the-icy-one

From: emcsquared

Subject: My last email

Message:

Sorry, guys! That was Dizzi! She got really angry and sent that! Please don't be mad at me!

_I can't believe Dizzi pulled a stunt like that! Why won't she leave me to my brooding and everyone else to deal with their own problems?! _

To: emcsquared

From: blondes-have-more-fun

Subject: Re: My last email

Message:

Relax Chief, we forgive you! I think it's just that our bitbeasts are trying to pull this team back together. Draceil has been trying too. They're fighting an uphill battle, aren't they? And yes, Chief, I'll tell Emily to get in contact with you; I know that should cheer you up.

_And here I am again, trying to sound cheerful when I'm not. I should have gone into acting. I'm the happy one; I can't feel pain, remember?! So why do I feel like I'm dying on the inside?_

To: dragoon-rox-my-sox,

From: crouchingtiger

Subject: Hiro and Mary Anne

Message:

Is it just me, or are those two getting a whole lot closer and more secretive? Ever get the feeling there's something they aren't sharing with the rest of us? I caught MA on the phone with your brother and the second she saw me, she told him that she was going to have to call him back later. What is going on? Anyhow, I've heard that you've been having a tough time (relayed from Hiro, to MA, to Lizzie, to me.) handling our current situation. Don't get angry, get even, remember? So keep yourself out of trouble.

_Tyson's causing everyone a lot of worry lately. Not that we'd admit it, but he keeps pushing himself too hard. According to Hilary he puts himself through several hours of practice a day and when he's not practicing, he's off in a funk, brooding, or smashing things. I think that's what Hiro and Mary Anne have been talking about, but I'm playing it cool to see if Tyson will realize the effect he has on other people._

-----

RTC: I know it was very different and I hope it wasn't too confusing! It didn't come out the way I really wanted, but that's okay. Meh, for all my rambling earlier, this note is rather short!

Kari: Don't worry, we've convinced her to write less email correspondence in the next chapter, so stick with it!

RTC: You'll see an interesting turn of events in the next chapter! I'm excited for it and I hope it turns out better than this one! Bye bye!


	5. Invitation

RTC: Has anyone noticed that there isn't much angst in this fic? I think I need to add some more bloodshed! Though that will take a few chapters.

Ray: Okay, who put that thought into her head?

Tyson: What does it matter?

Ray: Now that Kai's gone, she'll go after the only other person she truly loves to torture-me!

Max: Oh, that's true. I'd go hide if I were you.

RTC: Oh be quiet all of you! Well, I got a few guesses as to how old Hiro is. I've heard he's actually only 18 or so, but I need him to be a bit older for this fic, so if no one minds, I've made him about 21. Now disclaimer please!

Daichi: Ray-Tiger-Cat does not own Beyblade!

-----

Invitation

To: blondes-have-more-fun, emcsquared, shopaholics-anonymous, the-icy-one, howl-to-the-moon, monkeyboy

From: keeper-of-the-beast-tyson

Subject: You're invited...

Message:

I don't think it would be a huge surprise if I told you that Mary Anne and I were dating. I also don't think you'd be too surprised to hear this: we're getting married! We've been talking about this for a few months now, and we're trying to set a date. Both of us would really like to have you all present and the details will be sent to you as soon as we figure everything out.

**Hiro**

Call me stupid, but part of the plan is to get the team back together for at least a few hours and see if they'll work things out. The wedding would have happened anyway, but we decided to push it up by a year or so. The next year will be tough-we both have another year of school left-but if we can get my brother's team-and my brother; I hate this lunatic that has taken his place-back, it'll be worth it. It has been four months and they can't go on like this! Now all I have to do is sit and wait for a bunch of freaked-out 'Say WHAT?!' responses.

**Tyson**

"Tyson, I can't understand why you're so depressed. Can't you be happy for me? You know Mary Anne and I were going out for so long... What's wrong?" Hiro asked.

"What's wrong?!" I repeat, "I can't believe my own brother is getting married! What happened to waiting until you was done school?! What happened to planning and responsibility and being mature?! You've told me all those things before and now you're going against everything you thought was right. Oh and to top things off, you want me to be in the wedding. A suit and tie?! No way! And of course, you've gone and invited my whole team. Like they'll come; they wouldn't even stay a few days in Japan after Kai... it happened."

"Well, I hate to break it to you, but you can't remain angry at the world forever. You're team was devastated after that... incident, but I think most of them are recovering and I'm sure they'll come. If you're so lonely do something about it! And I won't even comment on the rest of the stuff you just said." Hiro's voice had an edge to it. I know I haven't been the best brother-far from it-and I know I'm worrying Gramps, Hiro and Dad, but I really can't help it!

**Ray**

"Awe, come on, please?" Mary Anne was pleading. "Why are you so dead set against having the wedding in Japan? Yes, I know we're still in the planning stages," she replied to my mumbled explanation, "But that's already been decided. I know Lizzie hasn't been too well lately-grief's consuming her-but it'll only be for a week or two that we're out there."

"You know what Lizzie's like about Japan. She was getting attached to Kai and the shock put her off traveling."

"Do you suppose there was something between the two of them?"

I roll my eyes, "Can we stick to the topic?"

She sighs. "You know all of you need to pull it together. So, I think it would be good for you guys to sit down and talk about it. You're coming and that's all there is to it. If Lizzie has a problem, she can come talk to me herself."

**Max**

"Mom, do you think everyone will be okay? It's strange, but I'm afraid of dealing with my own team mates even though we've been friend for years!"

"It's perfectly normal to be afraid, but you have to conquer that fear. Go for it Maxie!" My encouraged me. It was all so simple for her; being a scientist, she believes there are simple and logical solutions for everything. The only thing was that it wasn't simple because my team is falling apart. We all know it but none of us wants to do anything about it. The apathy is more than I can take, but I know it is fear that is keeping us apart.

**Hilary**

"Are you coming to the wedding?" This was Tyson's first question. I had been awoken extremely early by the insistent ringing of the doorbell. I hadn't seen much of him at all these past few weeks, but here he was, on my front porch. It took me a minute to even realize what he was talking about, as my brain was still sound asleep. I had received the email a week before and was still thinking about the situation we'd all be in.

"Um, yeah, I think so. Did Hiro finally set a date?" I don't know why I said I might come, but the look on his face was so hard to resist.

"Yeah, he's getting married the second week in July. Two months from now."

"Is there something you're not telling me?"

"I just can't believe he's thinking about getting married so soon after... well you know."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"Maybe some other time," he replied, which meant 'no way' in guy talk. At least he was considerate enough not to say it out loud.

"So, what's on your mind?" I asked, leading him to the living room where we could sit and talk. "You haven't been by to see me in weeks."

"Yeah, that's why I'm here; I wanted to apologize. I really missed everyone these past few weeks, but I really missed you most and I wanted make at least one thing in my life right."

I smiled, partly because I realized Hiro's wedding had made Tyson relaize that there was still love in the world, but mostly because what he said was so touching.

**Tala**

A wedding, huh? I normally wouldn't go; especially seeing as how I barley know Hiro and I don't know his fiancée, but if Kari and the team will be there then I might. We'll see.

**Kenny**

Tyson came by earlier with Hilary. It looks like those two have made up, which is good, I suppose. He told me Hiro's pretty much invited everyone, so I'd better show up. Tyson still looks a bit annoyed, but it's better than that pure anger that was controlling him right after everyone left. Hilary also seems better, but I'm not sure being away from Japan has done the rest of the team any favors. I can only hope that they don't decide to have a fistfight during the wedding or anything.

**Daichi**

This is so out of nowhere! Hiro is getting married. How odd is that?! I'm going to go, if I can, but you can't forget about little Daichi forever guys! Besides, I need to beat Tyson!

**Kari**

Hmm, is it just me, or is Hiro trying to pull something? He picked a date pretty close to the six month anniversary. Well, it's not like I'm going, so what does it matter? I've told them time and again that I can't tolerate being in Japan, but it seems like they're not listening. Besides, I've been traveling the world for the past few months and it helps keep my mind off of Kai and makes me miss that half of me less. If my team saw me now, I think they'd be quite surprised because I've changed. A lot. Maybe I'll go to Japan someday, but first I need to complete my mission.

**Hiro**

It looks like I've done it. We'll just see how this thing turns out. I swear I'll lock them up in a tiny room if I must to get them to talk about what's happening to them.

-----

RTC: I know that this chapter was also a bit odd, and I know there is very little interaction between the team, but the next chapter will probably have some blow ups and stuff! I don't know if anyone noticed, but Tyson is finally starting to come to terms with the situation, and Hilary is coming around, so count on some character development and torture soon!

Kai: She misses having me to torture.

RTC: I do not! Anyway, please review and I'll see you all soon!


	6. Reunion

RTC: Hello everyone! I have a bit of bad news about this chapter: it's another filler type chapter, and just would not come out as I'd planned! Grr! I'm so mad, and sorry!

Kai: Now what have we told you about rambling? You do realize most people don't read this anyway.

RTC: Fine, do the disclaimer. I'm too annoyed with this to bother.

Ray: Ray-Tiger-Cat still does not own Beyblade.

-----

Reunion

"Max! Over here!" Hiro's voice could barely be heard over the noise in the busy airport. Max looked over and quickly spotted Hiro, Tyson and their grandpa waving frantically at them.

"Hi guys!" Max said awkwardly. It was strange seeing Tyson after so many months apart. It wasn't like this before, Max thought sadly; when Kai was still alive, a few months apart seemed like a few days; we were never awkward around each other. "So where is everyone?"

"Ray and his family arrived late last night, so they're at the hotel, probably asleep," Tyson replied.

"And it's a good thing you weren't here for the reunion," Grandpa Granger interjected, making a kissing face, "I thought those two were never going to come up for air!" At this, Hiro turned red and Tyson looked away.

"Anyhow, I don't think Tala or Kari are coming... Not that I blame them! Daichi said he'll be in later this week," Tyson continued, to cover up the silence. "So, how are you doing? How's New York?"

"I'm fine... Or as fine as anybody can be under the circumstances," Max sighed, "You?"

"I have to agree with you there, Buddy. It's been tough."

"Can we talk later?" Max asked, feeling bad for having brought it up.

"Sure," Tyson replied, feeling more relived than he had been in a long time.

"Hello Diana. Can we please talk to Ray?" Tyson asked later in the day. Grandpa Granger had gone home and Hiro had gone to Mary Anne's room. Meanwhile, Tyson had dragged Max along with him to see Ray.

"Sure, come in," she replied, ushering them into the main room of the hotel. "Ray! Your friends are here!"

"I'll be there in a minute!" he shouted back.

"Hi," another voice said. A little head popped out from the doorway.

"Is that you, Lynn?" Max asked and she nodded in reply. "Wow, you've grown!" Max heard himself say. It was like he was on autopilot; he was making small talk to cover up his fear of being with his friends.

"Lynn, come here!" Lizzie emerged, with Ray right on her heels. "We'd better let them talk, okay? Sorry guys! I'll see you all later."

"Okay," the child said agreeably.

"So, how are you?" Ray shifted uncomfortably.

"We're okay," Max replied, continuing his facade.

"That's good." More silence followed. 'Is this really my team?' Ray wondered. We could never shut up before and now it's all we can do to avoid the awkward silences. "Hey, if it's okay with you guys, maybe we should just not talk about it."

"Works for me," Tyson answered and Max nodded in agreement. After that admission, things went considerably smoother, but we they really doing themselves a favour by not talking about it, or would this decision come back to haunt them?

"Here comes the bride," Daichi started singing, "Fair-" He couldn't continue as Tyson had slapped his hand over his mouth. Yes, the day of the wedding had finally arrived, and Hiro was both elated and disappointed.

Well, I do get to marry the girl of my dreams, he told himself, but it seems that my brother and his team are no closer to working out their problems. After some cursing under his breath about the pains of being the older sibling and how unbelievingly annoying his brother was, he decided to intervene in said problems. "Tyson, now I know this is not really any of my business, but why can't you and your friends just talk things through?" he asked after sitting Tyson down alone.

"You wouldn't understand it, Big Bro. And I'm not just saying that to sass you. You spent most of your life studying or traveling, but you never had really close friends. When one of them goes away, it's really devastating," Tyson said, sounding very un-Tyson-ish.

"Yes, the first part is true, but it's partly because I didn't get that experience that I want you to have it. I want you to have close friends. Maybe I was wrong to push you all into this and I can see that it hasn't really worked, but at least I tried. You need to make and effort. Maybe it's too soon..."

"Hiro, come on, we're about to start!" someone called and they were forced to end their discussion. 'I'll talk to you later,' mouthed Hiro and he left the room.

Tyson watched the ceremony in a daze. Was what Hiro said true? Am I really not trying hard enough? Well, I'll probably be seeing my friends again in a few months, it can wait until then.

How much more of this pretending must I do? Max was also lost in a world of thought. I can't wait to get back to New York! There's nothing I can do.

Ray wasn't really observing anything during the whole ceremony, which was quite unlike him. He found it much easier not to think about 'the incident' in public, so that he couldn't lose it in front of his friends. They did not need to see him break down.

-----

RTC: Well, this chapter focused mostly on the three guys (Ray, Max and Tyson) and their internal battles. They're starting to work things out for themselves, but don't know how to work as a team again because leadership was Kai's thing. Hopefully the next chapter will be better? I'll try you guys, I promise! I guess it didn't help that I was time-pressed. I have big plans for this fic and I have actually figured out how the plot will go, so things will get easier! Please review and tell me what you thought, what you'd like to see etc! Bye!


	7. Escape

RTC: Well, I promised you all some more angst and so here we are. Still very little physical torture-that's coming soon-but I've put a twist on things to cause more mental torture! 

Ray: Somebody please stop her!

RTC: You're only saying that because you're my number one victim. Now can I have the disclaimer please?

Daichi: Ray-Tiger-Cat does not own Beyblade. In fact, she doesn't own much of anything!

-----

Escape

To: the-icy-one

From: howl-to-the-moon

Subject: Boris

Message:

Kari, I hate to be the one to tell you the news, but it seems like Boris managed to get parole. I don't know where he is or what he's planning, but it can't be good. The others have someone to check on the, but I'm worried about you. Please take care of yourself, okay?

_Okay, it's now time to cross my fingers and hope she doesn't blow up. She seem like an innoccent child, but I've learned not to make her angry. I guess that may be part of the reason I worry about her-if she runs into Boris, she could get herself into real trouble._

To: howl-to-the-moon

From: the-icy-one

Subject: Re: Boris

Message:

He what?! They let him go?! What the hell are they thinking letting him loose?! Tala, I can watch out for myself. Besides, I'm doing correspondence school, so they'll notice if I don't send in my assignments. I hope you're got back up too, because he is just as likely to come after you.

_I don't even want to know why they let him go! Does the fact that he killed multiple people count for anything?! Tala's worried about me?! He should be watching out for himself, the idiot!_

To: crouchingtiger, blondes-have-more-fun, monkeyboy, shopaholics-anonymous, emcsquared, howl-to-the-moon, the-icy-one

From: draggon-rox-my-sox

Subject: Our current problem

Message:

Well, all of us here in Japan are trying very hard to convince the police to lock Boris up again, but so far it has been ineffective. Hilary says for everyone to send more messages, so that we can keep tabs on one another and I'm with her. It's been months since we were together and if it takes several more months before we are together again, Boris can target us easily.

_Things just got a whole lot more dangerous. I don't know what will happen when Boris encounters one of the team, but I don't want to find out either. And no, I don't think he's sorry and going to live a peaceful life. Stupid police and jurors-that's what they told me and Hilary when we went to talk to them._

To: draggon-rox-my-sox, blondes-have-more-fun, monkeyboy, shopaholics-anonymous, dragoon-rox-my-sox, howl-to-the-moon, the-icy-one

From: crouchingtiger

Subject: Bad news

Message:

I will just point out that this email has nothing to do with Boris, but I would advise sitting down before you read this anyway. I'm going to be blunt: Lizzie has rejected the transplant. The doctors say it's only a matter of weeks. Mom is hysterical, Dad is furious and Lynn is very confused. I'm just trying to hold things together. Lizzie might send you a message herself if she feels any better soon.

_It was my marrow. She's dying because of me... It was bad enough that Kai died, but now Lizzie too? Life is not fair. And to top things off, I have no one to talk to because they won't understand. My family is not taking this well. It broke my heart when Lizzie told me she didn't expect to live past sixteen anyway._

To: crouchingtiger

From: the-icy-one

Subject: Re: Bad news

Message:

At first, I didn't think things were too bad, but now I think I would have been happier if this was about Boris. Ray, I am so sorry. I think I've heard all the lines on coping, but they haven't helped, so I won't repeat such corny things to you. Tell Lizzie I love her like a little sister. I'm going to miss her so much. I want to have a web cam conversation, if she's up for it. It's all I can do not to cry, so I'm closing now.

_Poor Ray, I can sympathize with what he's going through. I don't know what I'll do when she dies; she was like my sister, and the last person I had a tie to. This has been a very hard year for all of us. And just when I thought things could not get any worse too._

To: crouchingtiger

From: shopaholics-anonymous

Subject: Re: Bad news

Message:

Ray, I don't know what to say, but sorry. I'm speechless; I really thought she would be okay, especially since it's been so long since the transplant. I guess I was wrong, huh? Tyson and Kenny send their regards, but you'll probably be hearing from them soon.

_I feel so awful, knowing that Ray is probably beating himself up for all this. If we were all still living nearby, then I would try to comfort him, but I don't dare come out and say it to his face. From how it sounds, Lizzie is the only one handling things well at the moment._

_---_

"Hi Kari!" Lizzie grinned and said into the mike. Looking at her, you could tell even being out of bed was draining her very quickly, but there was a look of determination on her face.

"Hey yourself. So, how are things?" Kari replied, tears nearly falling down her cheeks. The old Kari might have been bawling by now, but the new one kept up the brave front.

Lizzie shrugged her shoulders and said, "They're okay, I guess. Mom and Dad aren't doing so well and I know Ray is trying to keep it together for my sake."

"Doesn't sound like much fun. What about you? Are you going to be okay with all this?"

"Well, like I told Ray, ever since my first relapse, I knew I couldn't beat it. I've put up my fight, but my time is over. Just look at me, Kari," Lizzie said, indicating her skin and bone figure, the bags under her eyes, the bruises and the wheelchair and medical equipment attached to her frame. "I'm not going to be around much longer. Will you promise me something?"

"Sure, anything," Kari replied.

"I want you to watch over Ray and Lynn for me. Mom and Dad will make it, I know they will, but Ray is beating himself up. And I'd like to know Lynn will still have an older sister somewhere on earth, even if she's not a blood sister," Lizzie added when Kari started to point out that fact.

"Okay, I promise."

"I love you Kari. Please take care of yourself. I'd better go back to bed now, okay?"

"Same. Bye, Honey." Kari disconnected, knowing that this could have been the last conversation she would have with Lizzie.

---

"Tala, I need to talk to you. It's urgent. I'll call you as soon as I can. Or call me back on this line." This was the message Tala found on his answering machine that same evening. He punched in the number found on his display and Kari picked up.

"Tala! Did you hear about Lizzie?!" she wailed as soon as she heard his voice. "I don't know how long I can keep on going!"

"Stay strong, Kari, we'll make it through. I know you miss Kai, and I do too, but he is gone." Tala had found the point of Kari's panic. "I know Lizzie was one the last people you connected with, maybe because the both of you had brothers that you could depend on most of the time and you spent much time worrying about them together. Just don't loose it."

"Why do you care so much, Tala? I mean you pay me much more attention than you do to most of your other friends."

"I-"

"Never mind, I'm just ranting. Thanks for listening, I didn't know who else to turn to. Love you, bye."

"Bye," Tala said reluctantly and hung up. For the life of me, I will never understand that girl.

-----

RTC: So, I'm sorry for the lack of blood and gore and romance and a lot of other stuff you wan to see. And I'm really sorry for many chapters that have been a bit odd and you might think they are a bit plot less, but they help tie the fic together.

Kai: It's a bunch of her retarded sub-plots. And surprisingly, some people caught one o them!

RTC: (Sticks tongue out at Kai.) I love you all! Please review! (And don't kill me!)


	8. Fallen

RTC: Hi everyone! This is a bit of a short chapter and it goes between various POVs without warning, so you'll have to read carefully. However, it is all in chronological order, so that is a plus. (Sorry about the style, but I've read some good novels written this way and lately I've been trying it out too.) Since I'm feeling quiet today, we'll skip straight to the disclaimer.

Kai: Ray-Tiger-Cat does not own Beyblade, but she has plans to take over the world and get a new season-good luck with that!

-----

Fallen

Beep... Beep... Beep... It was to this sound that Ray had listened for many days. The time was nearing on them and no one was ready to face it. 'There's no use denying it,' Ray thought, 'She fell into a coma three days ago. And she'll never wake up. This is the end. Oh, how the mighty have fallen.

We're all so screwed up now. A year ago, everyone was reasonably happy, we were the World Champs, and we could take whatever life threw at us together. Just look now; Tyson's more of a hothead and once he gets started, there is no stopping him, Max is living in his cocoon of fear, Kenny doesn't really interact with anyone anymore, Daichi's distanced himself, Kari won't even go anywhere Kai has been, Tala... Actually I don't know his situation... He doesn't talk to anyone...'

"Kai, come on, we have to keep going!" a furious Tala shouted to his buddy lying on the ground. "If you don't pick up the pace, Boris or Voltaire will come in here!" But still Kai just lay there. "What the hell is wrong with you?! Why won't you get up?!"

"He won't wake because he's dead," Boris said with a very satisfied smirk. "And it was your fault. But you already know that, don't you, Tala? You were supposed to be there to help him and you failed. He. Is. Dead. Because. Of. You!"

Tala sat up in bed, shaking and shivering. "Not that dream again," he said out loud. This particular dream was a blend of some memories and an overactive imagination. Tala had already figured out that the situation was one from the abbey, when they were children. Mind you, there was one key difference; Kai had merely been unconscious from a very severe training regime that he had been put through. Even then, Tala felt the urge to help Kai whenever he could, but that was one time he had failed to keep Kai out of trouble. 'Kai, it looks like I failed again, didn't I? And this time it cost you your life.'

"Ray, get Lynn out of the room!" Diana ordered. Ray obligingly picked his littlest-no wait, his only-sister up and took her out to the hallway, noticing, out of a corner of his eye, that his mom was in tears. Lizzie had died only a few minutes ago, but it might as well have been an eternity for her family. Lynn was sobbing loudly into Ray's shoulder and was looking for some comfort, but Ray found himself unable to give any. 'She's gone.' Ray could not bring himself to think of the d-word. 'This is so stupid! Why couldn't she just not have rejected the transplant?! 'But it's your fault,' another voice in his head told him, 'It was your marrow, and she died because of it!'

"Ray, I want Lizzie to come back," Lynn's little voice said, interrupting his thoughts. 'Now what the hell do I tell her?!'

"Lizzie isn't going to come back, remember? She told you herself a few days ago," Ray said and watched as the child's face crumpled. 'Damn! Guess I should have thought it out better! Now what?'

'Hmm, maybe I just need a quick drink to feel better,' Tala thought and slowly climbed out of bed and entered the kitchen. He opened a cupboard and found waht he was looking for; a bottle of beer. Now, it's true that Tala was a few years too young to be drinking, but that sure wasn't going to stop him! All he needed was a fake ID and presto, achol! Taking a rather large gulp form the bottle, Tala sat down and began pondering a few things. And while he pondered, he drank another few bottles and before long, he was out cold at the table.

"Well, this is it," Ray's dad said, looking at the gravesite. "Those damned doctors couldn't save her! And look where she ended up!" Ray could feel his head starting to pound. Between keeping his dad calm, his mom from crying and Lynn out of trouble, Ray felt like he might just go crazy. 'Why can't they just move on already? And someone needs to take care of Lynn and I can't do that all the time!' Just when he was about to scream, Ray felt a comforting arm on his shoulder.

"Take it easy, Ray. I know that this must be really hard for you, but you're only going to stress yourself out more if you keep going the way you are," Mariah said.

"We aren't going to think any less of you if you show emotion," Lee added.

"Thank you guys, but I'll be okay," Ray told them. 'The truth is, I can't cry! I just can't! I don't feel anything! What's wrong with me?!'

To: draggon-rox-my-sox, blondes-have-more-fun, monkeyboy, shopaholics-anonymous, howl-to-the-moon, the-icy-one

From: crouchingtiger

Subject: Funeral

Message:

Well, everyone, we had the funeral today. I don't really have much else to say about the topic right now, so I'd appreciate it if no one mentions this for a bit. I think I still need to get my head around it all. Good-bye.

'That's an odd message,' Max thought, 'It seems like Ray is an emotional mess, which isn't like him. Hmm, in fact, I don't think I saw him let out any emotions at all in a while. He wasn't even upset when Kai passed on.'

"What am I doing on the kitchen table?" Tala wondered the next morning. "And why does my head feel like it might explode?" He looked around and finally his glance landed upon the beer bottles form the night before.

-----

RTC: So, that's it from me for today. I know it was a bit shorter than anyone would have liked, but I think the next chapter will be longer. Well, I hope so because I've pretty much been planning this next chapter out since before I posted this fic! See you all soon!


	9. Together

RTC: Hey everybody!

Tyson: Why is it when she starts off so cheerfully, you know something weird/depressing is going to come up?

Kari: Because it's abnormal?

RTC: (Coughs.) I'm still right here you know. (Sweatdrops.)

Ray: Just tell us already.

RTC: Okay then, um, see, it's has been a stressful few weeks because of the intense workload that comes as we approach the end of the year, and while I'm not going to stop updating, just expect more randomness and possibly worse writing in general. Well, that's what I wanted to warn you about. So disclaimer please!

Kai: (Groans.) We all get the idea, I'm sure, even Tyson's not that stupid; Ray-Tiger-Cat does not own Beyblade.

-----

Together

"Hurry up, Tyson!" Hilary was shouting, "I want to start the movie already!"

"Coming," he replied and ran into the den in the dojo with snacks. Though it had been about two years since Kai had died, and much had changed, Tyson's appetite was still enormous! He and Hilary were dating seriously now, and surprisingly, the relationship had stayed intact through all the difficulties that had arisen in the past few years. Pretty soon the two had forgotten about the movie and were quite busy kissing. As they put it, "We'll be heading off to university in the fall and we're going to make the most of our last summer together before that!" In other words, they just needed an excuse to make out more often!

Elsewhere, in an airport, a figure dressed all in black was thinking about Tyson and Hilary while waiting to collect their bags. 'Damn, I didn't think this thing would be that heavy! How did I manage to get the thing on board?' they wondered. 'Well, the vehicle shop better have my motorbike ready, I wouldn't want to be late.'

"Alright then, everything looks to be in order, here you go! Have fun and drive safely!" the woman at the store said, handing over a set of keys. The figure quickly put their bag onto the bike, put on a helmet, hopped on and drove away. 'Hmm, that wasn't too hard. A lot of time spent, but not hard. Unlike what's going to happen next. Okay Tyson, here I come!'

Ding dong!

"Damn, who's coming over at this hour?" Tyson muttered, breaking away from Hilary. "I had better answer that. If it's Hiro, I'm going to kill him; I told him to leave me alone tonight."

"Okay, I'll wait here," Hilary replied. "Have fun arguing with him!"

Ding dong!

"Okay, Hiro, I'm coming, hold on!" Tyson shouted and opened the door. He opened it to find the mysterious person on his doorstep. 'Black boots, black trench coat, black skirt, black top, even black hair and bag. Well isn't this person original. Hey wait!' Tyson looked closer and spotted something. A bitchip was hung on a chain around her neck. And not just any bitchip either. Dranzer. "Kari?!" Tyson said, having finally processed the information.

"Yeah, it's me," she said, opening her eyes for the first time.

"Why are you just standing there? Come in." Tyson was massively weirded out by this new development.

"Tyson, what's going on?" Hilary asked, sticking her head into the hallway. "Kari!" she exclaimed and ran over. "Where? What? How? You look so different!"

A faint smile crossed Kari's lips. "I thought it was time for a change. And I decided it was time for me to come back to Japan for a while."

"So where are you staying?" Tyson asked, as they all moved back into the den. "Because you know you can always crash here."

"That would be easier I suppose. I meant to find a hotel here, but my flight was delayed and it took forever for me to get my motorbike."

"Your what?! I noticed that thing out there, but I didn't know it was yours!"

"Well, a lot has changed, Tyson. A lot." And just looking at her you could see it was true. She had abandoned her pastel-coloured outfits for black clothes, her hair had been dyed almost all black, but you could see some traces of the old blue colour showing through and her eyes had lost their old spark.

"I guess that's true. So what exactly are you going to do? Are you going to stay here?" Hilary wondered.

"You mean permanently? I don't know. But I figured I've been away long enough. And as long as we have this summer, I thought it'd be nice to spend it together, here in Japan," Kari told her, while stifling a yawn.

"Okay, well, why don't we all get some sleep and talk some more in the morning? I was going to crash here anyway, so we might as well," Hilary said. "And don't start thinking anything naughty, either! Mr. D wanted to see us early tomorrow morning, so we were going to go together," she added with a cheeky look.

"You should come with us."

"Sounds good."

Before long, all three of them were sound asleep, each with a reeling mind and thousands unanswered questions.

"Yo! Homies, it looks like we got another one here today!" Grandpa Granger woke Hilary and Kari p early the next morning.

"Say what?" Kari wondered, having spent so long without listening to Tyson's Grandpa's unique way of talking.

"Don't worry about it, Kari."

"Kari? Our little home girl is back? Yo, that really is awesome; the Little Dude has missed you along with his other home dogs. They'll be so psyched to hear this, ya get that? Fachizzle, I'll go make some grub, ya dig?"

"How did I ever understand that?" Kari asked herself, as Grandpa Granger walked off to the kitchen to make breakfast.

"Yeah, I see your point. Come on, we should get ready and then wake Tyson up," Hilary said. They quickly washed up, changed out of their pjs, put on their make up and did their hair and then rushed to Tyson's room, where they were nearly deafened by his snoring.

"Some things never change, I see. Should we try the water, or the chilly peppers?"

"I say the water."

"AHHHHH!!!! So co-col-cold!" Tyson managed to finally get out.

"Come on, we're supposed to be at the BBA in forty-five minutes!"

A relatively peaceful hour later (yes, they were late for the meeting), the three of them were sitting in Mr. D's office, waiting for him to finish his meeting and tell them whatever it was that he had called them here for. Before too long, he entered, with Kenny hot on his heels.

"Sorry, I over-slept!" Kenny apologized, not even noticing Kari's presence.

"I think Tyson is rubbing off on you, Chief," she said and he looked up and gaped. He regained his composure quite quickly though.

"Kari, so nice to see you," Mr. Dickenson said, "And such good timing too, I think you'd be helpful is this case I'm dealing with." He was considerably calmer than the others, and so he had noticed that Kari seemed distant, as though she didn't want to completely reconnect with her friends.

"What case?" Tyson asked.

"Well, it seems that there are still some issues left from the abbey that no one has dealt with and often times, they end up here, for the BBA to sort out. Fortunately, most of them aren't too bad, but every so often there are special situations that come up. The latest would be this little girl." He pulled out a picture from a folder on his desk. It was of a little girl, maybe four or five years old with dark brown hair and green eyes.

"Okay, so where do we come in?" Hilary asked. "And what does she have to do with the abbey; she's too young to have been one of the children there."

"You're right, Hilary, she was the daughter of a child that was in the abbey. As one of the few girls there, she got raped and eventually got pregnant. She was born right in the abbey."

There was a small part of Kari that realized that she wasn't feeling pity for the mother. 'That was the old me,' she told herself, 'I've changed since then.'

"Okay, I still don't see where we come in," Kenny said.

"I need you to watch over her. I know you aren't babysitters, but I think she'll be safest with you and perhaps you can get her to talk. She hasn't said a word since we got her out of Boris' clutches, you see, she's too scared. It won't be permanent; just until I find a good home for her."

"Awe, poor thing. Of course we'll do it. Where is she?" Hilary asked. The others nodded in agreement.

"Thank you all. I knew I could depend on you. Please bring her in." Mr. Dickenson said, that last part being said into the intercom.

A few minutes later, a tall woman came in with the little girl in the picture. The girl was hiding behind the woman's leg and didn't want to come out. "I'm Nathalie, her social worker, and this is Amie. She's a bit shy, but she'll come around. Now Amie, be nice for them, okay? I promise they won't hurt you." Amie made no move to let go of Nathalie's leg, so she prised her off gently and handed the child to Tyson. "And these are her things," Nathalie added, handing a bag to Kenny.

"Well, guys, it looks like we have a new mission," Hilary commented as the left the BBA.

"Yeah, and since Kari's here, what do you say we get Max, Ray and Tala here too?" Tyson asked. "I mean it's been forever since all of us were together. We haven't been in the same place at the same time since-" he abruptly broke off when he realized what he was about to say. Luckily for him, no one commented on his slip of the tongue, but they all knew what he was thinking.

"Sounds like a good plan," Kenny said, breaking the silence.

"And it's not like this 'mission' is hard or anything either, so we can relax!" Hilary commented. If only she knew how wrong she was.

-----

RTC: Dun dun dun!!! Oh the suspense! Okay, not really. Anyhow, this chapter ended up with bits that were supposed to come in the next one, so it seems my obsessive planning isn't going to be helping me when I write it! Yikes! Does anyone sense what I'm about to do? (Points at little button for changing chapters.) That is my ever-so-wise clue.

Kai: Does no one else think she is insane?! Her clues never seem to work!

RTC: Go back into my head! Now! Okay then, I hope you liked that, and tell me what you think of little Amie. I always doubt myself when adding new OCs, so feedback would be much appreciated. Bye-bye!


	10. Arrival

RTC: Hi. Another chapter, another set of doubts about how badly this turned out. 

Kai: They're always bad.

RTC: (Rolls eyes.) Don't feel like talking much and wasting your time, so disclaimer please!

Max: Ray-Tiger-Cat does not own Beyblade and she never will.

-----

Arrival

"Now what do we do with the kid, anyway?" Tyson pondered the next day. She had been tired and slept most of the day away, allowing him Hilary, Kenny and Kari to make some phone calls and plans in peace, but now she was quite awake and just staring at them confusedly.

"I don't know. Don't you have any toys for her to play with or anything?" Hilary replied.

"No... And what do you mean you don't know? You're the one who's always babysitting."

Kari watched them duke it out and sighed. 'I know they're only playing, so I might as well let then get it out of their systems. I wish... I wish I still had somebody to count on... Don't dwell in the past!' Her mind always snapped her back to reality when things got too bad. It was a defence mechanism. She looked up to find Hilary carrying Amie to the kitchen to feed her, presumably.

"Earth to Kari. Come in Kari," Dizzi called.

"Aren't you going to eat?" Kenny wondered.

"Yeah, I'm coming."

"So, Max will be here tomorrow morning then? I'm surprised he got a ticket that quickly!" Tyson was saying.

"Well, he has wanted the team back together for a while, and his mom mentioned that he seems to need his friends more since..." Hilary cut off as she spotted Kari come into the room. "Anyway, Ray will be here that afternoon, Daichi won't be making it for three days and Tala said he may or may not show up and that he could get here by himself, so we don't need to meet him airport or anything." Hilary hoped that Kari had not spotted her switch in tactics.

"Kari, do you want to come with us, or would you rather watch Amie? I figure it's not a good idea to take such a little child to such a crowded airport," Kenny commented. 'I wish they'd stop treating me like I'm going to break. I've moved on!' Kari thought to herself and as usual, bit her tongue to prevent a fight.

"Okay, we're leaving! Have fun!" Hilary called as she left the next day, with Tyson holding her arm and Kenny tagging along behind them, looking a little out of place. 'Can't blame him; he's feeling like the third wheel.'

"Bye!" Kari replied and locked the front door. "So Amie, what do you want to do today?" she asked the child half hoping that she'd get an answer. Of course she didn't, so she scooped the child up for the first time and place at the kitchen table and handed the kid some crayons and paper. Tyson's house didn't have any children's games for the obvious reason that there weren't any children living there, but they had managed to snag some random art supplies such as the crayons as well as markers, popsicle sticks (Tyson had not minded one bit when he'd been asked to eat all of the popsicles in the freezer.), and pipe cleaners from around the house to amuse Amie.

Kari leaned over to see what the child was drawing, and was surprised to see an actual picture, not very neat, but also not the scribbles Kari was expecting. From what she could make of it, Kari spotted a young girl, maybe a little younger than herself and what could only be Amie herself. 'Now who can that be? Her mother? Poor thing, so lonely.' Kari didn't realize it, but that was the first connection she'd made with someone in the past two years.

Meanwhile, Max and Ray had been picked up from the airport and were on their way home. The team was less self-centred than the last time they'd seen each other, but things were far from comfortable. Max couldn't help but wonder how things in the world had barely been affected by Kai's death, even though he was an international blader who had many fans in pretty much every country. 'How come we're the only ones who feel that things are so radically different?' Before he knew it, they were already back at Tyson's dojo; he had been musing the whole ride there.

"Hi Kari," he mumbled.

"Hi guys. Hey is that little Lynn?" she replied, indicating the form in Ray's arms, sound asleep.

"Yeah. Mom and Dad were a little upset with each other and a lot of stuff actually, so I brought her with me to get her out of the house," he said, even though she hadn't asked for an explanation.

"I see."

"Where's Amie?" Hilary asked.

"She fell asleep a little while ago, so I put her down in Tyson's room. Is that okay?"

"Sounds good. Ray you can probably put Lynn down with her, and the rest of us can share the training room," Tyson said, not even fazed that he was giving up his room to two little girls. The fact that this would have been something that happened on a regular basis a few years ago felt so awkward now. All they really needed were some insane, bitbeast stealing scientists after them and life would be like it was.

The next morning, the guys woke up to find that both Lynn and Amie had been awake a while and had gotten a hold of the crayons again. And as we all know, children like drawing on walls with them. Now most people know to keep such things away from children when there wouldn't be adult supervision to prevent the mess, but they had all been much to distracted by their own problems to clean up the crayons scattered around.

"Look at the pretty picture we drew!" Lynn exclaimed and even Amie nodded vigorously. They had coated much of a large hallway with a 'mural' consisting of random pictures, such as an ice cream cone, a rainbow and a puppy.

"It's very... lovely," Kari finally choked out.

"Yes, beautiful," Hilary felt inclined to agree.

"You didn't even see the bestest part yet! Come on!" Lynn shouted gleefully; being quite happy that they were not in trouble. She grabbed her brother's hand and dragged him around the corner, with his friends tagging right behind. "It's a picture of you guys!"

And so it was, but the sad part was that Lynn had included a boy with a mop of blue hair and a small girl with black frizzes in the picture. Kai and Lizzie. You could tell she had drawn those herself (along with a few other members' portraits), because firstly, Amie didn't know them, and secondly, they were in a different style than Amie's drawings.

"Maybe we should clean this up?" Max suggested.

"I'd say yes, but crayon is next to impossible to remove," Ray pointed out.

"Well then, I guess we're going to be scrubbing for a while," Tyson replied.

They got halfway through scrubbing, and they were completely drenched, when the doorbell rang. Kari, being the most presentable one, ran to grab it.

"Tala? I thought..."

"Hey Kari," he said with a smile and he noticed something else. Her top wasn't very thick and the water was making it cling tightly to her frame and he blushed madly. And of course, she noticed this at the exact same time and ran off. It seemed like one way or another, something would keep the tem from talking.

-----

RTC: So, how was it? Good, bad? I don't know how many of you see the subplot, but some people have caught on, so I'm happy about that at least. Please review and I'll see you all later!


	11. Confusion

RTC: I'm really sorry, but this is a rather short chapter. And to try and make up for that fact, I'm posting it early, so I hope you all forgive me. We are quickly approaching the climax of this fic and while I don't want it to end, I think I need to write something new. 

Tyson: Has anyone noticed how she always manages to ramble on about nothing? Really, that's got to be a valuable life skill; mind teaching me how to do that?

RTC: Why aren't muses ever supportive?

Kai: Because you authors have egos that are quite large enough as it is. Now really, why don't you just leave me alone since I'm not even in the fic anymore?

RTC: Because I don't want to! (Grins evilly.) Disclaimer please!

Hilary: Ray-Tiger-Cat has explained, or rather had us explain that she does not own Beyblade. Do you really need more clarification?

-----

Confusion

"Oh my God, I can't believe he saw me like that!" Kari screeched when she was finally out of sight of Tala. She ran into the dojo and found her bag and put on the baggiest sweatshirt she could find. 'I do not need to deal with now! I can't handle it! And what if he doesn't really like me?'

Meanwhile, Tala just stood and stared, dumbstruck. 'I can't believe I did that! Smooth, Tala, smooth. If she liked you before, she won't give you a chance now.' He sighed and went into the hallway where the others were cleaning off the walls.

"Oh, hey Tala! Want to help with this mess?" Tyson asked teasingly.

"Hey, where'd Kari go?" Max asked.

"I think she-" Tala started.

"I'm right here, I just went to change out of my wet top," she said and glared at Tala. Tyson, Hilary, Lynn and Amie all looked clueless, but mischievous grins crept across Ray and Max's faces.

"Hey Max, are you seeing another Tyson-and-Hilary relationship blooming here?"

"Totally. So, when are you two going to admit it?"

"We're not in a relationship!" both Kari and Tala shouted.

"Yeah, yet! But you will be!" Ray continued grinning.

"They're still in the denial stage. Don't worry, they'll get over. Just do us a favour and don't go making out at every chance like this two love birds!" Max added, pointing at Tyson and Hilary.

At this, Kari and Tala blushed tomato-red, and Tyson and Hilary both looked like they'd like to disappear.  
"Alright, we'll stop now," Max said, feeling a little pity for them. With a few final laughs from himself and Ray, they all got back to work on the walls.

A few hours later, the walls were finally clean, the kids were playing safely outside and the group was exhausted.

"Man, who knew a couple of kids do make such a large mess?" Tyson wondered.

"Tell me about it," Max agreed.

"Hey, can we eat something now?" (That was Tyson, of course.)

"Tyson!" The group just started laughing uncontrollably at that point.

"Some things never change!" Kenny remarked.

"Well, how about we go make dinner then?" Hilary asked. Before the others could reply, the doorbell rang. Again.

"Yo, Little Dude! Look who's here to see you!" Grandpa Granger shouted, which was followed by a blurry figure, red haired running into the room.

"Daichi!"

"Caught an early plane," he said with a really proud grin. "I didn't even get plane sick!"

Hilary went green and commented, "Lovely. We were just going to make dinner; you came just in time"  
Another little while later, they had finished making dinner, and Tyson and Daichi were drooling buckets.

"Can someone go bring the girls in? And preferably get them washed up?"

"I'll go," Kenny volunteered, just as Max said the same thing.

"Let's both go; I think after the mess they made this morning, we'll need all the help we can get," Max said.  
However, they both came running back in a few minutes later without the girls.

"What's wrong? Where are the kids?" Ray asked, sounding bit panicked.

"We don't know! There's no sign of them in the yard! I know they were out there fifteen minutes ago when I checked up on them, but they've disappeared!" Kenny gasped.

"Do you think they've wandered off?" Hilary exclaimed.

"It doesn't look like it; there isn't any sign of the nearby, and we ran around the block calling for them!" Max said.

Just then, they heard someone rapping at the door. When they opened it, they found a neighbour standing there, looking somewhat alarmed. "I heard you calling for someone, I take it was those kids that were in your yard, right?" he asked and Tyson nodded. "Well, I saw them being taken to a black car and driven away. I couldn't really see what was happening, so I thought you'd allowed them to go, but when I heard all the commotion, I realized what'd happened and I had to come tell you!"

"They wouldn't just take off like that! Amie's much too shy and scared to go with strangers!" Kenny pointed out.

"And Lynn has been taught not to run off with people she doesn't know," Ray added.

"Which means someone forced them into that car! Now who would want both Lynn and Amie?" Tala asked.

"Boris!" Kari exclaimed. "And if I know Boris, I know where he's taken them!" And with that, she stormed off and hopped onto her motorbike. As she reached for her helmet, she felt someone's hand on her shoulder. "We don't have time to wait or call the cops!" she shouted.

"No, it's not that. I'm coming too," Ray said and hopped on behind her. She passed him a helmet, and then quickly took off.

"We'd better not be too late," she muttered.

-----

RTC: Haha! I wrote another cliffie!!! May my evilness always control my writing! Now I'm pretty sure some of you have picked up on some very evident hints I've been dropping about pairings, right? And now all has been revealed! Boris is on the loose and looking for revenge! I'll bet some of you forgot about him, didn't you? I love doing this sort of thing!

Kai: (Shoves RTC in a closet and locks door.) Peace. Bye everyone!

RTC: Hey, let me out of here!


	12. Rampage

RTC: Hi everyone! Here we have the long climatic moment in the fic! I'm not so sure that it turned out very well, but at least it flows. My main problem is that it is like an action movie with fight scenes and breaking into stuff scenes, and the like and I find that rather hard to describe. Anyway, the chapter is pretty long; over 2000 words, not counting my author's notes. 

Max: And it's going to be a lot longer if you don't shut up and get on with it already.

RTC: And people think you're the nice one. You're just as bad as Kai. Disclaimer please!

Tyson: Ray-Tiger-Cat owns lots of stupid stuff, but she does not own Beyblade or me. She has also asked me to point out that there is some swearing in this chapter and yeah...

-----

Rampage

"Where are we headed?" Ray asked, hoping Kari could actually hear him through the helmet.

"Back to a little known hell where Voltaire used to take Kai," she replied.

'That's the first time she's mentioned Kai in so long,' Ray thought. He was going to say something, but Kari made a very sharp turn, one that would make Tyson's driving look good. 'She's clearly panicked, but why? I'm even calmer and those pricks took my baby sister!'

"Hey, are you listening?" she asked and Ray realized he'd missed something during his musings.

"Um, could you repeat it?"

She groaned, but did as he'd asked. "There's heavy security, so we're going to have to be extra careful. And I guess I don't need to remind you that Boris will do anything to Amie and Lynn, even though they're just innocent children who, unfortunately, got caught up in this mess."

"So, do you have a plan?"

"Yeah, the security is tightest at the ground level and gets easier to break through from there. So if we find a way to get onto the roof without them noticing, we can get in, I hope. From there, we just work our way down a couple of floors, take out some guards, get the kids and go out the way we came." 'It sounds so simple, but I know it's going to be a lot harder than that!' "I've got some weapons stashed on this thing, nothing serious, but a few metal pipes are very useful for knocking people out."

"Sounds good." They rode in silence for another few minutes and pretty soon, Kari slammed on the brakes and got off. Ray followed suite. They both grabbed some of the afore mentioned weapons and tucked them somewhere, such as in their belts or pockets.

"We have to walk a bit further. Voltaire was a paranoid one and he made sure no vehicles could get in. Fortunately for us, there's a path. Come on," Kari said, indicating the narrow path that could have been easily overlooked if you didn't know it was there. They walked for what seemed like an eternity, but was probably only twenty minutes, and found a few large warehouses. It was evident most of them had been abandoned, but one had lights showing through the few windows and the doors were sealed tight.

"Shall we climb?" Ray asked.

"Yeah, we don't have much time." They walked up to an abandoned warehouse and scaled it by using window ledges and other architectural features for grips. There was even and outdoor fire escape for the second floor to the ground floor and the building itself wasn't that tall, only about four stories high. "Okay, that was the easy part. Now we need a way across to Voltaire's old hell hole."

"You got any rope? The buildings aren't that far apart; we could tie the rope ad go across," Ray pointed out.

"That'll work, but we'll have to move quickly, because there are cameras everywhere. We managed to avoid on our way up, because we climbed the side that isn't visible from there, but now we'll be out in the open."

"Oh man, this is going to be emotionally damaging," Kari commented after getting closer to the edge. Ray had already gotten across on the rope, and Kari was left feeling rather nervous.

"I could just go alone."

"You don't know where you're going," she pointed out and with one last deep breathe, she grabbed the rope and let her feet off the edge of the building. A few painful minutes later, she was on the other side. "Remind me to find a new way out."

She watched as Ray smashed the lock on the door to the roof with Drigger. It took him a few tries.

"I know, I know, my blading has gotten bad. I haven't practiced in so long now."

"Hn. This way."

"Breet! Breet! Intruder alert! Intruder alert!" the alarm screeched.

"Great, I was hoping we could get down at least one floor before that went off. Do me a favour and take out any speakers or cameras we come across. That should slow them down a bit," Kari ordered and Ray obliged and took out the nearest one he spotted as Kari took off down the hall at a fast pace. She stopped abruptly as a guard appeared. "Damn. Don't you idiots have anything better to do than serve that bastard?" she asked.

"Grr! I'll get you girlie! He wants to break you personally, because he didn't get the chance to kill your pathetic brother!" he sneered and threw a punch.

"Fuck you! May you rot in hell!" she screamed back and hit him across the back of the head, which successfully took him out.

"Whoa, calm down!" Ray muttered as he caught up, "We'll need to save some of that for Boris himself." Just then another few guards showed up and decided to take out guns.

"Didn't your mommy ever teach you that guns are bad? Guess I'll have to level the playing field," and with that, Kari pulled out one of the pipes she'd mentioned earlier and swung it at them while Ray knocked out another one martial arts-style.

"We'd better pick up the pace!" Ray shouted, gasping for breathe after that encounter.  
"Too late for that!" another thug said, pointing a gun at them.

"Run!" They shot down the rest of the hallway, but soon came to a locked door.

"This had better be the stairs!" Ray muttered, along with several curse words, as he smashed the knob with his blade. Thankfully for them, they had guessed correctly and were soon bolting down two flights of stairs, to the floor where Kari assumed Boris would be holding the kids.

"Oh crap. More security," Kari cursed.

"At least there aren't any more guards. Where the hell does Boris find these guys anyway, Evil Villains R Us?" Ray said, the security making him seriously pissed off by this point.

A little more smashing up bad guys later, Kari and Ray found themselves in front of a large door with several bolts and locks. "Think we found it?" Ray asked, sarcastically.

"Now how the hell are we going to get in?" Kari wondered and was about to take a swing at the door, when it swung open. "Oh, this is so totally a trap."

"Yeah, but we're going to go in anyway, right? We can take Boris!"

When they entered the doorway, they spotted a long hallway with yet another door at the end. Upon reaching that door, they realized that this one was not locked and pushed it in about an inch. What they found was both startling and saddening. Amie and Lynn were both dangling from chains hanging from the walls. And there was not one guard or camera in this room.

"Like I said before, this is a trap. Remember that and enter cautiously," Kari warned.

"Well, well, well. Look who we have here," the mocking voice of Boris sang out. He had entered through another door that hadn't been visible from where they were standing.

"Give me back my sister Boris! Now!" Ray shouted, and the kids looked up. 'They have all their faith in us,' Ray thought, 'We can't let them down!'

Without any warning, a group of thugs started attacking them. 'We're in trouble now! Where's some help when you really need it?' Kari thought as she tried to get a thug to let go of her arm.

"The kids!" Ray shouted in a panic and Kari looked over to see some thugs going after them.

"Boris, you wouldn't! Don't you dare touch them!" she shouted and could barely be heard over the noise in the room. So far, she and Ray had been too fast for the thugs to do any serious damage, but the thugs were also too strong for them to hurt them as well. 'The kids are all the way across the room; there's no way I can get to them in time with all of these idiots around!' she thought. At that moment, Kari caught sight of a glint from around her neck. 'Of course! It's been so long that I'd nearly forgotten!' Yanking the chain off her neck with one hand, she pulled out her beyblades with the other. It only took her a few seconds to put Dranzer and Dranzelia into the blades and launch them. The blades sliced through some of the chains and Ray, having also gotten the same idea, used his blade to slice through the rest. However, in these precious few seconds, they had let their guard down and Kari felt a searing pain go into her stomach. Someone had attacked her with a knife.

"Drigger, attack!" Ray commanded and his fierce tiger came out of the blade, looking very pissed off. He made short work of two thugs that were standing nearby.

"Dranzer, Dranzelia, double fire arrows!!" The fire arrows that came raining down was fortunately enough to knock out most of the other guards and Boris and it seemed like there were fewer guards now.

'That's odd; you'd think Boris would have more of his minions come in,' Ray thought, completely confused. At that point, he felt a small lump attach itself to his legs. He looked down to see Lynn hugging him extremely tightly while crying her eyes out. Ray scooped her up and returned the hug. "Where's Amie?" he asked out loud and found her running to Kari as though her life depended on it. Surprisingly, she wanted a hug too and, even more shocking, Kari returned the hug.

Out of nowhere, they heard some shouts. They looked up to see their friends standing in the doorway.

"Ray! Guys, we found them!"

"Kari! Holy crap, are you alright?! We came as soon we could, but we got held up by some more thugs," Tala said, indicating several guys that were knocked out behind him. ('That explains why no new thugs came in,' Ray thought, relieved that Boris didn't have some plan up his sleeve.)

"How are the kids?" Hilary whispered, "You should have seen him; he really would go to any lengths to save you, you know."

"The kids are fine. Not so sure about Ray right now," she replied looking over at her fellow cohort in this adventure, who was currently looking a bit dizzy and tired.

"I'm fine. Okay, I will be fine after a bit of rest," he amended when he caught their disbelieving glances.

"Alright, well, we've already called the police, so they should be here very shortly. I think they're bringing some medics with them," Max commented, as he took Lynn out of Ray's tired arms and Tyson took Amie. They all watched as Tala put his arm around Kari's shoulders and led her far enough away that they could not hear the conversation.

"Kari, you really scared me today," Tala told her. "Are you sure you're alright?"

"Yeah," she insisted, but it came out rather weakly. And out of nowhere, she started to cry.

Tala stood there, looking ill at ease for a few seconds, but then he pulled her into a hug. "I love you Kari," he whispered and heard a muffled reply which sounded a lot like, 'I love you too.' Tala was mentally debating whether or not he should kiss her, when he felt her body go limp. "Kari? Shit!" he cursed as he felt a warm liquid transfer from Kari to his stomach. She was bleeding badly and he could only assume that she was hiding the injury as to not worry them all.

By this point, the others had figured out what was going on and the police and medics had arrived. Tala watched helplessly as the medics loaded Kari up into an ambulance and he followed them in, despite the protests he received. As the doors shut, Tala noticed Ray also being loaded into an ambulance, attempting to fight them off the whole time and everyone else filing into the police cars to be driven either home or to the hospital.

-----

RTC: So, I hope you liked, and I hope it wasn't too bad-action-movie-ish. I have actually got the next two chapters written in rough; I just need to edit them and type them and then I'll post. There are actually only three more chapter and then this fic is done!

Kai: Where are you going with this?

RTC: Well, I don't really have anything but a few oneshots planned after I finish this, so if anyone has any ideas for me, feel free to share.

Ray: That translates into: I have no idea what I'm doing! Help!

RTC: Okay, that's true. (Blushes.) Anyway, see you all soon, bye!


	13. Confessions

RTC: Hello all. Well, be amazed that this chapter is even up you guys, because of the lack of reviews for the last chapter. I got 2. T-w-o. The last time I had that few reviews was for my very first few chapters of Just.. and some chapters of Blast..., but I didn't mind then. See, that was the climax that I got so few reviews for, not even a filler and now I'm really pretty pissed. The only reason this chapter is up is because I'd written it before I posted the chapter 12. (Glares.) 

Ray: Should we hide now? She was already annoyed before this, but this might be a bit much.

Tyson: Sounds good, my man. She's scary when she's mad.

RTC: The muses are right for once. So enjoy... Yeah right. Slight OOC-ness in here and if you don't like, then leave!

Hilary: (While hiding.) Ray-Tiger-Cat does not own Beyblade. I'm not even going to make any wise cracks.

-----

Confessions

"In other news today, a man who tried to lead a children's sporting organization has been arrested for abducting two small children. Is our government doing enough to prevent criminals like the notorious Boris Balkov from getting at our children? Fortunately, this case has a happy ending as the children were found unharmed, but things could have gone much worse. As it stands, two civilians were sent to the hospital and four police officers sustained minor injuries. Now over to a crime specialist to hear what she has to say on the matter."

"Turn it off," Tala said, "I really don't want to hear anymore." Several hours had passed since recovering Amie and Lynn, and the group was assembled in Kari's hospital room. Ray had been okay and the doctors had released him a few hours before, but Kari was slightly worse off and it looked like the doctors wanted to keep her an extra day.

"Well, they have one important point: the kids could have been seriously hurt. Now you're sure you're okay?" Hilary asked in a motherly tone and the two girls nodded. Both had been scared, to sat the least, but were otherwise alright. Lynn was curled up on Ray's lap and Amie was sitting next to Kari on the bed.

"Yeah, let's just hope the police are smart and keep him locked up for good this time," Kari added. An awkward silence filled the room after her words.

"Hey, why is everyone so quiet?" Lynn asked, being too innocent to understand.

Surprisingly, it was Tyson that answered the question; "Because we don't want to talk about certain events."

"Oh, that reminds me, Lizzie left me this box. She told me to open it whenever I thought I was ready, and I never have. And after last night, I think I should," Ray said as he pulled out a box slightly larger than a shoebox.

"You sure dude?" Max asked.

"Yeah." Ray peeled off the tape holding the lid on and opened the ox. Inside, there was a package, some pictures and letters addressed to her family. "Might as well read the letter first."

'Dear Ray, First and foremost, I love you and don't you ever forget that. I am writing this in the hospital in the hopes that it'll allow you to come to terms with my death. I know you'll blame yourself, but it isn't your fault. The cancer was just too much for me to handle. I'm sorry I died and left you with the terrible burden of guilt...' Ray felt his eyes tear up and he skimmed over some of the letter. he would read the rest when he was alone.

'...Okay, I'd better explain why I packed these things away for you; the pictures are of all the good time we've had, they are what I want you to remember me by; the letters are self-explanatory and finally we have the package. this package is what inspired me to leave something behind for you. Let me explain; Kai left it in my possession when I was undergoing the transplant and he told me to share it with you guys if he ever died, but I had to wait until you were all ready for this, something I didn't get to see in my lifetime...'

Hey, she said that this package is from Kai! He left us something! Ray exclaimed.

"Really?!" the other shouted. Ray passed the package to Kari and put away the letter for the time being. Kari gently removed the paper. Inside, they found a letter, two DVDs, and several packs of tissues.

"Dear team, if you are reading this, then I am dead. There was so much I wanted to tell you all, so much I wanted to do, but it looks like I didn't have the chance. I didn't feel like expressing this all in words, so I left you the DVDs. Start with the one marked 'Memories'and the other. The tissues are for when you all start bawling your eyes out. (Don't even deny it, I know you will.) My sincerest regards, Kai," Kari read aloud, half laughing about his last comment.

"So, shall we do what he said?" Kenny asked and got nods all round.

"Awe, that's so cute!" Hilary squealed after they'd inserted the DVD, which contained pictures, the first being Kai and Kari's baby pictures. As they watched, they saw a glimpse into Kai's life. The babies grew, right until the point where their parents must have dies, because there were a few years without pictures when they'd been in the abbey, then a few of Kai's childhood, followed by some team pics, ending with a picture taken just a few days before Kai was taken by Biovolt. Kai had been right; they'd made a significant dent in the tissues. After this, there were a lot of clips of the team-both in the stadium and candid videos Kai must have shot.

"I can't believe he put all of this together," Daichi remarked.

"Me neither," Tyson agreed, "Let's see what the other DVD contains."

They popped it into the DVD player and saw Kai come onto the screen.

"Hi. I don't know how long I've been dead, but I hope you aren't suffering over it," Kai began.

"Always straight to the pint, isn't he?" Tala commented.

"Anyway, in case I never got to tell you all a proper good bye, I made this video. You have no idea how much you all meant to me and I hope this will clarify for you. If you some reason you are watching this while I'm alive, shut it off now, or you'll be the dead one.

"Tyson, you were stubborn and lazy and your table manners needed work, but you were always a good friend to me. You have a lot of potential.

"Max, you were ever the happy one and I hope you don't change, even when you find out that the world is not always a nice or fair place. Take it easy on the sugar, alright?

"Ray, thanks for being the one I could talk to of I needed something. I know it seems like nothing fazes you, but don't be like that, or you'll end up like me. Which would not be a good thing.

"Kenny, you have helped this team out in so many ways and you do it even though you don't get much recognition. Without you, I'm sure we'd have never made it as far.

"Hilary, our little cheerleader. You acted like the glue that held us together for so long. Keep it up, even when Tyson's being an idiot, okay?

"Daichi; four words. Don't become Tyson junior. Seriously, you are an important part of this team and keep the training up and who knows, you may just beat him.

"Lizzie, I already explained myself, I think. You know what I think of you. (AN: Obviously, he doesn't know she's dead.)

"Tala, I do not have the words to tell you goodbye. You have been my best friend since we were what, four years old? Take care of yourself, buddy, and don't allow my death to hold you prisoner and watch out for Kari for me.

"And finally, Kari. Little sis, please don't be too upset. You aren't alone in the world; you still have friends and I'll always be watching over you. You're my twin, forever and always.

"I love you all and I hope you all know that now. My friends, you have made my life worthwhile. Keep each other safe and keep Biovolt's leaders locked up. Good bye."

The team was openly weeping and holding each other by the time Kai's short speech was over. They were finally accepting Kai's death. The walls were finally broken.

Several weeks later, Mr. Dickenson stopped to check up on them. He found then sharing memories-both good and bad of Kai and looking at ease with each other for the first time in years. The team looked up and saw that he had brought Nathalie with him.

"What's wrong?" Tala asked, seeing the slightly disappointed look on their faces.

"Well, it's like this kids, we think it's too dangerous for you to keep watching Amie. Biovolt might make another attempt to kidnap her," Mr. Dickenson started.

"But I thought you couldn't find anyone to adopt her?" Hilary protested.

"Yes, we're putting her in a group home for the time being," Nathalie responded. "Now come on kiddo." The team watched in horror as Nathalie went to take Amie.

"No!" Amie shouted and the all stared, dumbstruck.

"What?" Nathalie asked.

"No!" she repeated, "I'm staying here!"

"Look, we can't put more problems for these guys, okay? You have to come with us."

"Not if someone adopts her," Kari said softly.

"That's true, but who's going to take her?" Nathalie asked.

"I will," Kari responded, "She deserves to have a good home and someone to care for her."

"Think about it; you're young, you've got you're whole life ahead of you, how are you going to care for her?"

"I can take care of her, Nathalie. And I'm old enough to adopt her, so what do I have to do?" Nathalie regarded her. She seemed sincere.

"Nathalie, remember that she's been through the harsh abbey condition. She can relate to the child," Mr. D. vouched for her.

"Alright, it'll take a few weeks, but if you really want to do this, I'll make it happen."

Amie, who had stared and just sat there jumped up and buried her head in Kari's shoulder and hugged her.

And at that point, Kari knew she could take care of Amie, just like Kai had taken care of her for so long.

-----

RTC: Well review if you want to see how this ends. I may combine the next two chapters to make one longer chapter. Now good bye.


	14. Rebirth

RTC: Hi everyone. Last chapter here! I know I was pretty crabby the last time I updated and I'm sorry for snapping at everyone like that. I'm starting to think that this fandom is dying out... Which is sad, but what can we do? 

Kai: Cut the nonsense and start the chapter!

RTC: Why is it always you that cuts me off? Anyway, disclaimer please!

Max: Ray-Tiger-Cat has been trying to buy Beyblade, but then she realized she was broke. So she still doesn't own it, people!

-----

Rebirth

"Mama, are you ready yet?" came Amie's voice. "I want to see the dress!" Kari emerged from a room in a pretty kimono and gave her daughter a nervous grin.

"How do I look, Sweetie?"

"Awe, Mom, it's beautiful! I'm sure Tala will love it! Hey, now that you're getting married, do I have to call him 'Dad'?" Ten years had passed since Kari had adopted Amie and she and Tala were finally getting married. The ceremony was still a few days away, but Amie, now a teenager, could not wait to see her mother's wedding dress, which was a brilliant blue kimono. Kari wanted to wear her mother's wedding dress, and her mother had been quite proud of being half Japanese, so she'd worn a kimono.

"Hmm, that depends on you. I'm sure Tala wouldn't force you to, but I don't think he'd mind either," Kari replied, fingering her engagement ring. 'He's such a romantic at heart. He proposed to me over Valentine's dinner, which he cooked, and it was all so unbelievable! I still can't believe I'm getting married to him!' Kari thought. "A lot has changed."

And it was true; they had all finished school and had careers that they loved. Most of the were working for some branch of the BBA, which was now headed by Hiro, now that Mr. Dickenson had retired. Their personal lives had changed greatly too; Hiro and Mary Anne had two children, who were just as spunky as their parents, Tyson and Hilary had gotten married the year before and were expecting a child, Ray and Mariah were engaged, Max had found the courage to ask Emily out and were now somewhat serious, and Kenny and Daichi were still single.

"So, when is everyone arriving?" Amie asked.

"They should all arrive in Tokyo within the next two days and then they'll probably rent cars and drive here," Kari replied. She and Amie had moved away for a while when Kari was in university, but ultimately missed Japan too much and returned. The others mainly lived in their own countries, but would frequently visit Japan. Tala was still in Russia, but he'd be moving into a new house along with Kari and Amie after the wedding.

"Ding dong!" the doorbell chimed and Kari dashed to answer it. When she opened it, she found Ray, Mariah and Lynn on the front step.

"It's gorgeous!" Mariah squealed and pulled Kari into a hug. Poor Ray had insisted on carrying all the luggage and coughed to warn them that he might drop the bags at any second.

"Oh, sorry Ray! Come in!" The house was pretty small, but only Ray, Mariah and Lynn would be staying, so it was alright. Daichi would be at Tyson and Hilary's, as they, and Kenny could not part with their hometown, and Max and Emily would be living at Max's dad's place. Tala's stuff was at Kari's, but he would be staying at a hotel for a few days.

"So, how are things going with you lately?" Ray enquired after they'd settled into the living room and Amie and Lynn had taken off to catch up.

"Pretty good. Amie's growing up ridiculously fast-I swear it was just yesterday that she was playing with dolls, and now she's learning to drive and starting to date! And the business is running well too. Who's have thought I could have transformed Grandfather's," she paused, as if to get a horrid taste out of her mouth, "companies into a successful detective agency to investigate creeps like him and make sure that they aren't hurting people?"

"Yeah, it's pretty amazing what can happen in a few years' time with a lot of hard work," Mariah agreed.  
"So, are you nervous about the wedding?" Ray wondered.

"Not really. Tala's always been there for me, and I think I had a bit of a crush on him for years before we started dating," Kari grinned, happy that life was finally settling down.

A few days later, Kari was racing through the house like an insane person.

"Oh my God, when are those flowers supposed to get here? And has anyone seen my lipstick? I bought it yesterday and now I can't find it!"

"Calm down Mama, all your make up is right here. I put everything together so that when that hair stylist/make up artist gets here, we wouldn't have to be searching for anything."

"And the flowers will be here in half an hour, remember?"

Two hours later, Kari was staring into the eye of her fiancИ. There were some words coming from the priest, but she wasn't listening. Looking around the room, Kari spotted all of her friends and many bladers that she'd heard about from the others. The only person missing was Kai. 'I want to be happy, but I can't forget him.' Little did she know that Tala was thinking along the same lines.

'This is too weird. I'm marrying my best friend's sister, and he isn't here to watch. Man, I could really use his... unique perspective right about now.'

Before they knew what was happening they were married, and after about a million photos, were off on their honeymoon.

"Do you still miss him?" Tala asked later that night.

"Yeah, sometimes. Like today, I really wanted him to be here, but obviously that's impossible. I don't think I'll ever truly stop missing him, even though I know he'd be happy if he could see us now."

"I know what you mean; I still miss him too. I was just standing there wishing for him to magically show up or something. He was my best friend for so long. I'll bet he's watching over us now."

"Yup, and he's probably screaming at us to stop yakking and kiss already. I swear he's tried to set us up a few times," Kari said with a grin. Their lips met and they knew they were in love.

"I love you, Kari..."

"I love you too, Tala." At that moment they felt at peace, as they continued to kiss passionately.

---

"Tala, I hate you!" Kari screamed several months later. Tala stepped back, looking perplexed.

"Don't worry, that's normal," the nurse said with a grin, "Most women shout that to their partners."

"Come on now and push," the doctor ordered.

"Don't be upset, we're right here for you," Tala said, squeezing his wife's hand reassuringly.

"Come on Mom, you can do this!" Amie shouted from the hallway, where she'd been forced to stay.

"Alright then, just one more big push and this little guy is coming out!" the doctor encouraged.

A few minutes later, a shrill cry filled the room.

"Awe, he's beautiful," Tala told Kari as the doctor cleaned up their son.

"Can I come in now?" Amie asked impatiently. In all honesty, Kari had been worried about how she'd react to a baby in the house after being an only child so long and after being adopted, while the new baby would be Kari's own flesh and blood. But she needn't have worried; Amie had been thrilled.

"Sure!" Tala called.

"Thanks Dad!" she'd exclaimed. Tala had also adopted Amie after the wedding, so he was now her legal father. Amie entered just as the doctor was finishing up.

"He's so cute!" she proclaimed after just one glimpse. She gave Kari and Tala a hug and the doctor handed the baby to them. The three of them, all having horrific childhoods, looked at him and swore his life would be better.

"He looks just like you, Kari!" Tyson pointed out later that day. The whole team was together- Tyson, Hilary and their son; Ray, Mariah and their daughter; Max and Emily; Daichi, still a bachelor; and Kenny, whose girlfriend wasn't there as she didn't want to intrude.

Looking at the baby, you could see that Tyson's statement was true. The baby had slate black hair, crimson eyes (like Kari's, when she wasn't wearing her lilac contacts), and some of her features.

"No, you know who I think he looks like?" Max asked as Ray took a turn holding him.

"Tala?" Daichi guessed.

"Well, he does have some of Tala's features, but no, that's not who I meant, no offence Tala," Max replied.

"None taken."

"You mean..." Ray said, passing the baby to Tyson and the baby promptly began to bawl with an expression that clearly showed that he didn't want to be near Tyson.

"Kai!" they all exclaimed with a laugh.

"He's even got a bit of that death glare there!" Hilary remarked.

"And he doesn't care for Tyson either," Kenny kidded.

"Hey!"

"He does look like you! Already looking grumpy!" a person said, bobbing outside the window.

"I resent that," Kai shot back, while Lizzie dissolved into laughter.

"You know I'm right!"

"In your dreams! Anyway, it looks like they'll finally be alright, don't you think?"

"Yeah, they're at peace. Took them long enough too. But we're still going to watch over them, right?" she replied.

"Hn." Kai put his arm over her shoulder and they shared a kiss.

"So, what are you going to name him?" Mariah asked back in the room. Tala and Kari exchanged glances.  
"Well, how does Kyle Andrew Ivanov-Hiwatari sound?" Tala suggested to the others.

"We wanted to give him the initials K.A.I. to always remind us of him because, in a sense, this little guy is like him coming back to us.

"That sounds perfect!" Max said enthusiastically.

"Yea, why do I see him getting into just as many... situations as Kai? Ray asked jokingly. They all stared at the new baby and felt that a part of the hole in their hearts-Kai's hole-was being filled. True, he would never replace his uncle, but he would bring them final closure.

And above them all, Kai's spirit watched his nephew and grinned. "A new beginning to a sad end."

-----

RTC: (Cries.) It's over! Can anyone believe it? And can anyone believe that I got through this whole fic with a short title and one word chapter titles? (Did anyone even notice that?) Okay, so I'm a bit proud of that, so sue me.

Kai: So, does this mean I'm finally free?

RTC: What do you think?

Kai: (Groans.) Alright, I'll just go back into your brain and sulk.

RTC: So what did everyone think? It's been a very long time since I started writing about these characters, but I think Lizzie and Kari and the others won't be in my writing much anymore, so I'm kinda sad. I don't think I'll be writing anymore long stories-probably just oneshots and I have ideas for two short multi-chaptered fics. I guess I'm too stunned to really write much! I hope you all enjoyed reading this as much as I liked writing it. Please review! And as always, if you want to keep in touch, feel free to include that in your review or in a PM and I'll give you my email address, okay?

Ray: You can shut up now.

RTC: Great, now this muse cuts me off too. Bye everyone!


End file.
